XV.—Notes on the Birds of Central and South-East Iceland, with special reference to Food-habits

1934.1 On the Birds of Central and South-Bast Iceland. 239

Mesopicos goertae kanigi Neum. (For notes on the races of Xesopicos goertLe, see Bull.

B. 0. C. liii. p. 74.) This is the other of the two species of Woodpecker mcmtioiied

above as ranging surprisingly far into the desert. Though I did not find it breeding when I saw it, I am sure it is resident and had bred a t both of the places where I got i t t h e Tillia grove and the “forit ” south of Timbuktu. One of the Tillia specimens, shot in May, was an immature bird. The Tim- buktu one had lately moulted, in November. The food found was generally the larvz of wood-boring beetles. The Grey Woodpecker, though its range is very extensive and includes both the well-watered south and the dry north, I have never found to migrate north or south with the seasons ; and the individuals living in the borders of the desert, all the way from the Nile below Khartoum, where kcPnigi was first found, to Timbuktu, belong to this very distinct race.

Mesopicos goerts goerts (Muller). Two specimens shot in the large trecs growing a t the foot

of the Fiko cliffs, east of Mopti (not yet breeding in December), plainly belong to the Senegal race. This place is some 200 miles south-west of Timbuktu. It is about the same distance again farther south-west to Segu, where in 1928 I got a specimen that seems to belong to X. g . agnien (the race which in my ‘ Handbook ’ I had united with centralis).

[To bo ~ont~inued.1

SV.--iVotes on the Birds of Central and South-East Iceland, with special reference to Food-habits. By BRIAN ROBERTS.

(Plate VII. and Text-figure 1. )

I. INTRODUCTION. The extensive literature on the birds of Iceland has already

been well summarized and brought up to date by the works of Slater (I), Hantzsch (z), and Hachisuka ( 3 ) . Nevertheless, what we know of the birds of this distinct zoogeographical region is still very incomplete, and it is hoped that the following

240 Mr. B. Roberts on the Birds of [Ibis,

notes may help to fill the gap in our knowledge with respect to certain little-known districts in the country. They are based on observations made during June, July, and August 1932 while I was a member of the Cambridge Expedition to Vatnajokull, the largest ice-cap in the island.

A general account of the expedition has already appeared (4)- We sailed from Hull on 22 June, and landed at Hornafjor&m, in the south-east corner of Iceland, three days later. The party then journeyed westwards along the coast and sledged across Vatnajokull from Heinabergsjokull to Kverkfjoll, a mountain range rising some 2000 feet above the northern edge of the ice-cap. A fortnight was spent here, during which geological and ecological surveys were carried out in the oases of the lava-desert of 6dBtjahraun. On 28 July we returned across Vatnajokull, and then spent fourteen days on the south coast. On 14-15 August we went 200 miles along the coast to the Westmann Islands in a small motor- boat, and were picked up there on 18 August by a passenger- boat returning to England.

During both voyages a careful look-out for birds was kept, but nothing unexpected was seen. No land-birds were observed. There is a distinct concentration of sea-birds over the Faroe Bank.

Like T. G . Longstaff (5), we recorded considerably fewer birds on our return voyage than on the way out. This could not, in our case, be correlated with rough weather, and there seems to be a real decrease in the north Atlantic in late July and August.

11. AREA. The areas visited may be conveniently divided into three

faunal regions. First, the south-east coast between Brei6amer- kurjokull and Vestur Horn, a narrow belt of coastline some 45 miles long between Vatnajokull and the sea. To the south there is an off-shore beach. Behind this lies a lagoon which is rapidly being fdled in by fluvio-glacial deposits, so that its northern part constitutes an outwash plain varying in width from about 400 yards to 15 miles. A marine cliff separates this latter region from glaciated mountains which

IBIS. 1934. PL. VII

Hellisey, on which is situated the largest colony of Gannets (Sula bassana) in the Wes tmann Islands. Sulnasker and

Geldungur a re seen on the left. Photo by HERRA KJ. GUDMUNDSSON.

Oasis of Hvannalindir, looking S. towards Kverkfjoll.

343 Mr. B. Roberts on the Birds of [Ibis,.

killed for food are tabulated each year. The islanders support themselves almost entirely on fishing and bird-snaring, and the numbers of birds killed are enormous.

111. SCOPE AND METHODS. The biological work of the expedition took the form of an

ecological survey, and, as far as the ornithology was concerned, this involved primarily the collection and interpretation of stomach-contents and feeding observations, and the classi- fication of the species living in each type of habitat. All other work had to be done at odd moments when I was not occupied with the main issues of the expedition.

Frequent transects were made a t different places to give a relative idea of the number of birds present in each habitat. In some cases the actual figures are given, but as a general rule they have only been used to estimate the status of each species and to help in the working out of their distribution.

The Icelandic names are taken from a list published recently by Magn6s Bjornsson (“ SkrB ytk islenzka fugla,” Sbprentun 6r NBttiirufraetjingnum, iii. Argang 9, 10 Hefti, Reykjavik, 1933). In scientific nomenclature I have followed Hachisuka, but as we only collected a few skins I cannot vouch personally for the validity of the various forms. Trinomials have been avoided where the form occurring in Iceland is uncertain or controversial. This applies to the following species mentioned in the text :-Anser albifrons gambelli Hartl., Somateria moblis- sima islandica Brehm, Numenius p h m p u s islandicus Brehm, Charadrius hiaticula psammodroma. Salomonsen, Hoematopus ostralegus malacophaga Salomonsen.

IV. SPECIFIC NOTES. Corvus corax tibetanus Hodgson. Iceland Raven.

Fairly plentiful all along the coast. ( Hrafn . )

The numbers appear to- increase inland up the inhabited valleys, but there was none in the mountains higher than about 1000 feet.

W. M. Congreve and S. W. P. Freme(8) note that in the vicinity of Mjrvatn Ravens are extremely unpopular owing

1934.1 Central and South-East Iceland. 343

farmers on the south coast stated that they do little damage either to lambs or ducks and other birds, and they are not regarded as vermin in this district. They do not appear to be decreasing in the sout,h-east, as has been observed in the north. A number were feeding on a dead sheep in Staaardalur, and they were also observed eating offal from the rubbish-heaps a t the farms.

Corvus cornix eornix L. Hooded C'row. (&Aka, Fzereyj ahrafn. )

One near Borgarhofn on 38 June.

Acanthis linaria islandica Hantzsch.

Only one was seen in the forest of dwarf birch trees near The absence of this species is probably due to the

Iceland Redpoll. (Auanutittlingur. )

Hoffel. lack of undergrowth along the south-east coast.

Pleetrophenax nivalis insulae Salomonsen. Snow-Bunting.

Extremely scarce on the coast. They avoid the low-lying grass-plains and swamps, and only occur high up in the mountains near the ice-cap. In the oases of the central desert they were by far the commonest bird (see table on p. 261), and they were the only species met with in the desolate lava- fields between these patches of vegetation, but did not occur more than a mile from water. The more broken type of ground in these lava-flows affords good nesting-sites, but other areas with abundant food-supply were deserted, probably owing to lack of these.

No stomachs were examined, but a t Hvannalindir birds were watched continually catching caddis-flies (Trichoptera, Limno- philids), which appear t o form their main diet a t this season.

(Snj 6 t ittlingur . )

Motacilla alba alba L. (Mariuerla.)

Common everywhere along the coast where there arc farms, but absent from the outwasli plains, which only support a very scanty vegetation.

Two stomachs examined ; both contained antler-moths (Charmu graminis) and a species of Diptera.

White Wagtail.


Anthus pratensis L. Meadow-Pipit.

Common all along the south-east coast. Two stomachs were examined.

(Piifutittlingur *.)

Moths (Lepidoptera), represented by Charceas graminis ; a spider (Arachnida), Erigone arctica var. maritima ; and parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera, Ichneumonide) were identified in both cases.

Turdus musieus eoburni Sharpe.

The distribution of this species seems to be influenced largely by the quantity of birch-scrub forest in the district, and as this is very scarce in the south-east, Redwings are not often seen. They were only recorded at Hoffel, where there is a small “ forest.”

Iceland Redwing. (Sk6garprostur.)

(Enanthe enanthe leueorrhoa (Gm.). Wheatear.

The commonest passerine on the south-east coast, but confined exclusively to a definite type of rocky territory a t the foot of the mountains on the landward side of the outwash plains.

We had five specimens for examination, which showed the Wheatear to be chiefly insectivorous, a fact which was also borne out by observation. Moths (Lepidoptera), including Charceas graminis, were found in three specimens and a cater- pillar once. Parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera) were represented by thirteen specimens of Ichneumonid= from four stomachs, and flies (Diptera) by a t least five specimens of Scatophaga sp. from two stomachs. In Staaardalur they were seen habitually feeding on dung-flies (Xcatophaga sp.) and their grubs. Beetles (Coleoptera) and small fragments of moss and lichen occurred in two cases only, while one stomach contained a large quantity of a freshwater alga and a few leaves of Vaccinium uliginosum.

(Steiiidepill. )

Troglodytes troglodytes islandieus Hartert.

One in the small birch forest near Hoffell on 12 August.

* Tittlingur is E name applied to any small twittering bird, and the

Iceland Wren. (M&arindill. )

.diagnostic prefix is often omitted.

1934.1 Central and Sou,th-East Iceland. 345

Faleo rustieolus islandus Briinn.

Not seen by us. We heard from several independent, sources that they are decreasing fast on the south-east coast. There used to be nesting-sites in both Staaardalur and KBlfafellsdalur, which are now deserted, probably owing to the ravages of collectors. A heavy fine is imposed on anyone found guilty of killing a Falcon.

Iceland Falcon. (FBlki. )

Faleo eolumbarius subaesalon Brehm. Merlin.

A single bird seen near Hblmur on 37 June. (Smirill.)

I am informed by H. H. Eiriksson that a pair were breeding a t FlAajokull this summer.

Phalaeroeorax earbo earbo (L.). Cormorant.

Three seen 0% Hornafjortjur on 23 June.

Phalaeroeorax aristotelis aristotelis (L.). Shag.

Two seen off Vestur Horn on 25 June. Hachisuka (3) says that the Shag is absent from the south-east and east sides, but Congreve and Freme (8) record it there.

(Dila-skarfur. )

(Toppskarfur. )

Sula bassana (L.). Gannet.

J. H. Gurney(9) has summarized all the information on Gannets in Iceland up till 1913, and I have been unable to trace any further references. On 18 August this year d. A. Beckett and I visited the Gannet colonies of Vestman- iiaeyjar with the object of making a census of the birds breeding there. Owing to thp great confiision of various writers

. over the place-names of these islands, we had expected to find only one colony in the group, but there are four distinct gannetries on different islands, viz., Brandur, Hellisey, SGlnasker, and Geldungur. The positions of these islands may be seen on the accompanying map (text-fig. l) , which is taken from the Danish ' Generalstabens ' 1 : 50,000 map of Iceland, published in 1905. This is the only accurate map

(Sfila, Hafs6la.)

SER. xm.-vorJ. IV. S


of Vestmannaeyjar which has been printed, and the spelling of place-names should consequently now become standardized.

J. H. Gurney describes a visit of his relative, Mr. Eustace Gurney, to Sulusker* (i. e. , Sdnasker) in 1898, when he

Text-figure 1.

33' 00 3:

Alfsey

I '\L

Suburey

Scale of milea 0- -3 - ~ e i & t e in feet -63

20 I

Vestmannaey j ar.

accompanied a party of four Icelanders in quest of young Gannets, and he also speaks of Brandten or Brandt ( i . e. , Brandur) as being a breeding-place of this species. The rock

* Has also been described as Sulasker, Suluklettesr, and Sulu-skEer.

1934.1 Gei~trnl cmd South-East Icelcmd. 2-17

mentioned, Geldingasker, should be Geldungur, and is distinct from Geirfuglasker, another rock some 4 miles to the south- west which has been recorded as a breeding-place of the Great Auk ( A k a impennis) (10). We did not get very close to the latter island, but from what I saw of it through field- glasses it seems unlikely that any Great Auk ever nested there owing to the precipitous nature of the cliffs.

The Gannet islands are not easy to reach, and we were lucky to get a boat to take us out a t short notice. It might be worth mentioning for the benefit of others who may attempt the voyage that in Vestmannseyjar it is necessary to charter a boat a long Lime before it is actuallyrequired. A German who was staying in the islands a t the same time as we were knew all about this and sailed a t mid-day, after arranging for his boat to be ready at 6 A.M. In our ignorance we arranged to start a t 10 A.M., and consequently did not get off till 5 P.M.,

a misfortune which entailed returning in the dark. It was too rough to land on any of the islands, but we were

able to form a fairly accurate estimate of the number of breeding-birds by sailing slowly round each rock close under the cliffs. The method of assessing the numbers was to count all the adult birds on the rocks themselves. The counting was greatly facilitated by the geological structure of the rock, which caused the birds to sit in definite rows on the ledges, and it would otherwise have been almost impossible to count them. The following table shows the result of our census. The two figures for each cliff-face represent our independent counts :-

Rrandur ...................... 404 418 Hellisey-R. cliff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 973 1021

,, N.W. cliff . . . . . . . . . . . . e. 600 c. 550 ,, Remainder . . . . . . . . . . . 496 489

Siilnasker-S.E. cliff . . . . . . . . . . . . 303 312 ,, Romainder (counting

together). 717

e. 200 }

Gelclunger-Counting together. ... These figures are an absolute minimum, and the estimate for

Geldungur may be rather low, as it was beginning to get dark when we reached that island, and there were a number of birds

S 2

1913 .... 480 I 1919 . . . . 228 1914 . . . . 363 1 1920 .... 480 1915 . . . . 427 1 1921 .... 384

Anser anser (L.). Grey Lag-Goose.

A few were present on Fremstavatn when we came down from the ice-cap in August, and three were feeding on the marshes near Brunnh6lskirkja. I was shown eggs of this species which came from KLlfafellsdalur, and apparently quite a large number breed there.

(SMra grkgaes.)

1935 . . . . 368 1926 . ... 666 1927 .... 864

1934.1 Caztrab and South-East Ic,elalc,ld. 249

Anser albifrons (Scop.). White-fronted Goose.

Anser braehyrhynehus Baillon. Pink-footed Goose.

I have taken these two species of geese together because they are so closely interconnected and confused in Icelandic ornithology. The question as to which species of “ Grey ” Goose breeds in Iceland has been discussed in detail by W. M. Congreve and 6. W. P. Freine (S), who discovered a colony of A. brachyrhynchus breeding near the headwaters of the SkAlfhdaflj6t River in 1929. T-Jntil then these birds were supposed to be A. albifrons, and in 1930 Mr. Frenie returned, hoping to settle the chief point which still needs elucidation- the status of the White-fronted Goose in Iceland. Unfortu- nately he failed to reach Grafarlond, the suspected breeding- ground, owing to an abnormal “ cold snap ” which was said by the Icelanders to be the worst within living memory for that time of the year, but while in Iceland he collected some further information about the Grafarlond district, which he has very kindly sent me. The geese there have been suffering seriously from human interference during the last ten years, and have gradually decreased in number until now there are so few that it is not worth making the journey for the annual egg-raid. From this it was concluded that the geese which had abandoned Grafarlond would probably move farther south and colonize Hvannalindir, the southern- most and least known of all the oases.

P. Falk and I spent four days (li-SO July) at Hvannalindir carrying out an ecological survey. The oasis is about 3 miles long and consists of a luxuriant growth of grass and other vegetation growing along the banks of a stream which forms one of the tributaries of the Kreppa. On the south-east i t is bounded by scree-slopes ; everywhere else by either lava- flows or desert.

J. P. Koch, the Dane who visited Hvannalindir in 1912, recorded that ‘‘ geese brood along the watercourses ” (12). During our stay we made a thorough search all over the oasis and surrounding country, but failed to find any nests, although

(St 6ra blesgaes. )

(Heibagaea. )


the situation appeared to be extremely suitable. Had they been there I believe we should have found either the moulting geese themselves or their feathers. As it was we only found a few feathers and old droppings. On 18 July I was awakened a t 4 A.M. by an unmistakable goose-call, but the bird was too far away for identification. We saw no others. There is another oasis, Herdubreidalindir, about half-way between Hvannalindir and Grafarlond, where the eggs of geese have been taken. In 1932 we considered that there was possibly a colony there and that the birds came up the Kreppa to feed a t Hvannalindir. In 1933 E. G. Bird (Ibis, 1934, p. 170) and D. Haig-Thomas succeeded in reaching Grafarlond, and camped there from 26-28 May. Only two pairs of Pink-feet were found nesting on the east bank of the Jokuls&. These observers walked up the left bank of the Grafarlondsi to its source near Herdubreidalindir and then down the Linda&, but no other nests were found. Very few geese were seen, and all were unquestionably A . brachyrhynchus. We can only conclude that whatever may have been the case in the past, proof of A . albifrons breeding at the present time is wanting. The bird occurs on migration and skins were sent home to Europe, so there was some excuse for the mistake. It should be added that Schider always maintained that A . albifrons was only a passage-migrant in Iceland.

Gygnus cygnus islandicus Brehm.

Signs of Iceland Whoopers occur a t all the oases in the central desert which we visited, but probably they do not breed there owing to the scarcity of food. A pair were present a t oasis " B ') on 17 July. The stomach of one shot contained 60 per cent. black volcanic sand and small lava-pebbles, 30 per cent. leaves of water-buttercup (Ranunculus pauci- stamineus var. eradicatus), and 10 per cent. seeds of cotton- grass (Eriophorum scheuzeri).

Iceland Whooper-Swan. (Alpt, Svannur.)

Anas platyrhyneha subboschas Brehm. Iceland Mallard.

Breeds all along the coast in suitable localities, but nowhere (Stokkond. )

very common.

1934.1 Central and South-East Iceland. 25 I

Histrionicus histrionicus histrionicus (L.) . Harlequin-Duck.

Two drakes a t oasis “A” on 21 July. These were not at the oasis on 17 July on our outward journey, and had probably come up from t,he Kreppa, a swiftly-flowing river some 5 miles distant.

(Straumond. )

Clangula hyemalis (L.). Long-tailed Duck.

Three pairs were breeding a t oasis “A,” having newly- hatched young on 17 July. The stomach of a young one obtained here contained only a few grains of black sand, and we were puzzled as to what they were feeding on, as there appeared to be no suitable food in the vicinity.

(HBvella.)

Somateria mollissima. Eider-Duck.

The first thing which struck me on our arrival in Iceland late on 25 June was the vast number of Eider-Ducks to be seen as we entered Hornafjortjur. All along the beach sat hundreds of little groups of ducklings, each guarded by a duck and drake. Most of the young birds had only just hatched, and even during the two days we were there the number of families increased very noticeably. In one little bay, scarcely 60 yards across, I counted forty-seven families, and in attendance was a small party of Greater Black-backed Gulls (Lams marinus) making havoc with the newly-hatched young. In June these gulls must have eaten a very considerable number of young Eiders, and when we returned in August they were parasitic on the adult birds, trying to snatch the food (Jfyti lus edulis) from the ducks when they rose to the surface. As a rule the Eiders merely turned away when a gull dashed up, but on one occasion I saw one grab the food and fly away with it. When worried much the ducks dived again, leaving the gulls helpless.

By the middle of August all the drakes had gone out to sea, and the remaining birds had collected into vast flocks. There were, however, still one or two newly-hatched families about, and in some of these cases the drakes had stayed instead of

(Baarfugl--$ aaarbliki, $2 Btjarkolla.)


going out to sea with the others. On 8 August we made a trip across the lagoon to the outer beach of Hornafjorbur. At the entrance of the fjord there is a long narrow sand-spit jutting out into the sea, and when the tide is ebbing a very strong current races past the end of this spit into the open sea beyond. I watched a party of Eiders “ shooting ” these rapids, and was amazed to see them land on the outer side of the spit, walk across it, and immediately ‘‘ shoot ” the rapids again. They were plainly doing it for enjoyment, and repeated the performance over and over again, sometimes even running back across the spit, apparently in great haste to experience the sensation once more.

One flock of Eiders which we saw on 11 August, just before we left, must have numbered about 3500 birds, and there were other flocks as large in the neighbourhood. We watched them feeding, and an examination of several stomachs showed that their chief diet was mussels (Mytilus edulis). The crop of one bird contained seventy-four specimens of this mussel, and in its stomach were the mangled remains of nearly as many more. They were all swallowed whole, no attempt being made to separate the meat from the shells. Unidentifiable fish-bones and a few feathers were also found in some birds, along with quantities of small rounded pebbles.

Mergus merganser merganser L. Goosander.

A few pairs observed round Borgarhofn, where they breed (Gulond. )

in small numbers only.

Phalaropus fulicarius jourdaini Iredale.

Only seen in the central desert region.

Grey Phalarope. (Pbrshani.)

Three present a t oasis “A” on 17 July, presumably on migration.

Phalaropus lobatus (L.). Red-necked Phalarope.

Breeds all along the coast where there is vegetation, and particularly common in the vicinity of low-lying freshwater lakes. The birds began congregating a t the end of June,

(Obinshani.)

1934.3 Ccntral and Xouth-East Iceland. 333

but had not departed by 13 August. On the evening of 18 August a large flock passed us flying south-eastwards when we were some 20 or 30 miles off the coast from Vest- mannileyjar on our homeward journey. In the central desert they were comparatively common (see table, p. 261).

Seven specimens from the south coast were examined. All contained large numbers of insects, but most of the material could not be identified. Parasitic wasps (Hymenoptera), represented by Braconidz (Chasmodon apterus) in three cases ; Ichneumonidz twice ; weevils (Coleoptera, Curculionidz) twice ; and antler-moths (Charceas graminis) once. No vegetable matter had been eaten.

Capella gallinago faeroeensis (C. L. Brehm). Faroe Snipe.

Fairly common along the coast wherever there is plenty A dead one was found by d. A. Beckett

(Hrossagaukur. )

of vegetation. about 2 miles north of Kverkfjoll in the central desert.

Erolia maritima maritima (Briinn.). Purple Sandpiper.

Only met with in the central desert region. (Selningnr.)

One a t oasis ‘‘ B ” south of Hvannalindir on 17 July, and two at Hvanna- lindir on 19 July.

(Louprzll. ) Calidris alpina alpina (L.). Dunlin.

Very common all along the coast, nesting chiefly on the low-lying marshy land near the lagoon.

Tringa totanus robusta (Schialer). Iceland Redshank. ( S telkur . )

Seen at various places along the outwash plain on the coast, but nowhere common. I n August they were feeding on the marshes by the sea in small flocks, and the numbers were greatly augmented.

(Sp6i. ) Numenius phaeopus (L.). Whimbrel.

Very common all along the coast, and especially on the low-lying marshy flats near the lagoons. The Icelanders


say that they are increasing fast, and already they are becoming a regular article of food a t some of the farmsteads.

Three stomachs examined all contained antler-moths (Charceas graminis), and a few remains of Ichneumonide.

Charadrius hiaticula L. Ringed Plover.

Common on the stony flats near the sea along the south

Haematopus ostralegus L. Oyster-catcher.

Not common in the south-east.

(Sandl6a.)

coast. They were also found nesting in the sandurs.

(T j aldur . ) Twowere seen a t Hornaf-

jor8ur on 27 June, five together near Kalfafellsstaih on 2 August, and four at Hornafjorhr on 11 August. According to Salomonsen (13), there is a slender-billed form in Iceland. The wing-measurement of a specimen we brought home is 259 mm., which is intermediate between H . 0. ostralegus and H . 0. malacophaga.

Only two stomachs were examined. Each contained vegetable as well as animal food. Beetles (Coleoptera) were identified in both cases, including Otiorrhynchus dubius and another species of Curculionid once each, Byrrhus fasciatus twice, and Hypoidus riparius once. Moths (Lepidoptera) were represented by Charceas graminis in both specimens. Plant-food consisted of small quantities of the grasses AgTostis palustris and Catabrosa aquatica in both specimens.

Larus eanus eanus L. Common Gull.

Two seen on 10 August near Hdlar, Hornafjor6ur.

Larus argentatus argentatus Pontopp. Herring-Gull.

Three birds of this species followed us for some time when we were about 25 miles off Vestur Horn, but careful enquiries brought no reliable evidence of breeding in Iceland.

(StormmBfur . )

(Silfurmkfur. )

Larus marinus L.

Met with everywhere on the coasts breeding in small colonies The species is increasing rapidly in the

Great Black-backed Gull. (Svartbakur.)

and isolated pairs.

1934.1 Central and South-East Iceland. 353

south-east of Iceland, a fact which is interesting in connection with the cyclic fluctuation worked out in Great Britain by T. H. Harrisson and H. G. Hurrell(14). The young are used for food by the Icelanders, and we were told that as many as 300 birds were killed for the use of a single farm during the spring in this district. On 17 July, when we were a t the oasis of Hvannalindir in the central desert, a Great Black-backed Gull flew up from the north and returned thence after flying round and calling for a few minutes.

This bird is as omnivorous in Iceland as it is in the British Isles, and was constantly to be seen picking over the refuse- heaps in Hornafjor6ur. As already mentioned, they are parasitic on adult Eider-Ducks (Soniateria ntollissima), and feed on the newly-hatched young.

Larus hyperboreus Gunn. Glaucous Gull.

Present in small numbers all along the coast. Commonest on the outer beach near the entrance to Hornafjordur, the only place where they outnumbered L. marinus. Two pairs were found nesting together on the eastern lateral moraine of Breidamerkurjokull.

This species is apparently as omnivorous as L. marinus, and could be seen daily eating offal from the rubbish-heaps in Hornafjor8ur.

(Hvitmhfur.)

Rissa tridactyla tridaetyla (L.). Kittiwake.

Only one seen in August, a t Hornafjordur. (Rita.)

This is remarkable considering the immense numbers which breed at all the suitable points along the coast farther east.

Sterna macrura Naum. Arctic Tern.

Extremely common all along the coast, where the lagoon- beaches and sandurs form an ideal breeding-ground. A large number of observations were made on the food of Arctic Terns, and fifteen stomachs were examined. During June they were the only species seen feeding all through the night.

(Kria.)


Their food in Iceland appears normally to consist of greater sand-eels (Amrnodytes lanceolatus), but this year there seems to have been a special abundance of antler-moths (Charceas grarninis), and these certainly formed one of the chief items of diet during the time we were in the country. Everywhere along the coastal plains the birds were watched systematically hawking after these moths, which were captured in the air at an average height of about 10 to 20 feet. Some idea of the number consumed may be gained from the fact that one stomach alone contained the remains of fifty-six of these moths, and probably as many as 60 per cent. of all the Terns present were feeding on them. It would be interesting to see if this unusual change of feeding-habits occurs often, or whether 1932 was an exceptional moth-year.

Other food taken includes a spider, Lycosa tarsalis islandica ; a weevil (Coleoptera), Otiorrhynchus arcticus ; flies (Diptera, Orphnephilida) ; and parasitic wasps ( Hymenoptera, Ich- neumonida), but these only occurred once each. At Hofn, in HornafjorBur, they were feeding regularly on the maggots which infested great stacks of cods) heads drying on the quay. Vegetable matter was found only in two stomachs, which contained a small quantity of the grass Agrostis palustris. This was chiefly root-fibre, and had probably been picked up while the birds were hunting for insects on the ground.

As usual, the Terns were being parasitized by Arctic Skuas (Xtercorarius parasiticus), but to a far greater extent than is generally observed owing to the relatively larger number of Skuas present.

Catharaeta skua skua Brunn.

The greatest known colony of this species is said to be in BreiBamerkursandur, but, unfortunately, I was unable to reach this district owing to lack of time. During our boat-journey along the south coast of Iceland, however, we could see that the numbers of Great Skuas suddenly increased enormously as we passed this region, and the colony there must be very large. Hantzsch (2) says that the largest colony is in Skei6ararsandur, but after discussion with one or two Icelanders

Great Skua. (Skbmur.)

1934.1 Central and South - East Ice land. 257

I am inclined to think that the Breihmerkursandur colony must be the largest one.

We found one or two isolated pairs nesting in Steinasandur, but none was seen east of Borgarhofn.

Stercorarius parasiticus (L.). Arctic Skua.

Common all along the coast and extending inland right tip to the ice-cap. They nest especially on the sandurs and off- shore beaches, but also high up in the mountains. This was the only species seen flying over Vatnajokull, where they were observed 4 or 5 miles in from the southern edge of the ice. Everywhere the dark form was about ten times as nunierous as the light phase.

It has been reported before that they go far inland, but we were surprised to find a pair a t Hvannalindir, right in the very centre of Iceland. No nest was discovered, but it seems possible that they may have been breeding at tlic oasis, where there is evidently enough suitable food.

As usual, the Skuas made practically no attempt to capture their own food but relied almost entirely on Arctic Terns (Xterna nzacrura) to do this for them. This parasitism was carried on to an amazing extent a t Hornafjorikr, where the Terns were catching greater sand-eels (Amniodytes lanceolatw). On one occasion I watched four Skuas crash together as they all tried simultaneously to seize a fish from one Tern, the latter being killed by the impact. It is interesting that the Skuas were obtaining moths from the Terns. Of ten stomachs of birds from the coast, five contained the remains of antler- moths exclusively. In two cases the Skuas had been watched obtaining their meal, and there can be little doubt that the others had got their food in the same way, although somc- times birds werc seen hunting for insects themselves on the ground.

In two stomachs large iiunibers of lam= of the moth ( N a m - mestra yisi) were found and a quantity of roots of dgrostis palustris which had probably been eaten accidentally while digging for the caterpillars. Other plant-food included a few leaves of Eyuisettcm arzjense, Vmcinium diginosum, and

(Kj 6i. )


Salix hnata, and in one case a small quantity of moss (Bypnum eommutatum 2 ) . At Hornafjor8ur the Skuas were several times seen catching young Eiders (Somateria mollissirnu), and although the parents made gallant efforts to protect their young they were always too late.

Alca torda L. Razorbill.

One or two off Vestur Horn. ( Alka. )

They do not occur farther west on this coast, where there are no cliffs.

Uria grylle grylle (L.). Black Guillemot.

One or two off Vestur Horn in June.

Fratercula arctiea arctica L. Puffin.

In the south-east there is a small colony on Alogurey, an island in Hornafjor8ur, the only colony between Ingdf- shof8i and Vestur Horn.

They breed in thousands a t Vestmanneyjar, and are netted annually between 10 July and 14 August for food. The breasts are stored in ice after being smoked. Every family in the islands eats Puffin a t least once a week, and the birds are considered to be a great delicacy. After the breasts have been removed, the remainder of the corpses are hung up to dry in the sun and are then used for fuel. The complete absence of any natural fuel on the islands makes this industry one of considerable importance.

(Teista.)

(Lundi.)

Fulmarus glacialii glacialis (L.). Fulmar Petrel.

The question regarding the existence of a dark and a light form of Fulmar and the geographical distribution of these, as well as the difference between them, has received little attention. Lsppenthin (7) gives figures in a paper in which he divides the colour-variations of the Fulmar into three classes, A, B, and C, of which A is the lightest and C the darkest. I would, however, disagree with his statement that the form A alone occurs in Iceland, and say that both A and all

(Fylungur, FQlI.)

1934 .] Central and South-East Iceland. 259

0" 40' W., 55' 90' N . . . . 1" 10' w . , 51° 10' N. 1"20'W.,5I050'N. . . . . 3" 10' W., 5So 40' N.

6"50'W.,60°30'N. .... 8" 0'W.,6lo O'N. . . . . So 3O'W., 61" 15". 8"50'W.,6l028'N. ... .

11"45'w.,62°48". . . . . 12" 30'W., 63' 5". . . . . 12" 55'W., 63' 20' N. 14' 20'W., 63" 5.5".

. . . .

. . . . 5"15'W.,59"45'N. . . . .

. . . .

11" 15'W., 62"38'N. . . . .

. . . .

. . . . 14" 35'W., 64" 0' N. . . . .

variations up to a form rather darker than B are present side by side. On several occasions the two extremes were observed interbreeding.

During the voyages to and from Iceland regular counts were undertaken of the proportion of dark and light birds in sight (dark and light being the forms on the two sides of an arbitrary mean between the extremes observed). The results of this may be seen in the following table, which illus- trates the observations for the outward voyage. The positions were determined with a Marconi echo-sounding device in combination with a large-scale chart and the ship's log.

23.6.32 2 12 10 9

24.6.32 11 23

,, 12 10

,, 4 25.6.32 5

11 11

,, 3 5

,, 20-3076

Position. 1 Date. I Light. Dark.

- 1 - -

1 3 3 7 3 9

14 9 5

16 7040%

A. V. L. Manniche (15) carried out systematic observations of the same type between the Shetlands and the East Green- land coast in 1906. I have not included the counts for the homeward voyage, as they correspond almost exactly to the outward, and show again the gradual increase in the proportion of dark birds as one goes northwards.

Colymbus stellatus Pontopp. Red-throated Diver.

Found all along the south-east coast in suitable localities, (L6mur.)

but nowhere common.


Galiinula chloropus chloropus (L.). Moor-Hen.

-4 single bird on a small lake near KBlfafellsstaBur on 2 August. The Moor-Hen is a rare straggler in Iceland, and has only been recorded six times previously. This bird appeared to be in a perfectly healthy condition.

(Vatnshcena. )

Lagopus mutus islandorum (Faber). Iceland Ptarmigan.

Not a single specimen was seen on the coast. (Rj fipa. )

On enquiry I was told that they are subject to definite fluctuations owing to some type of epidemic about which I was unable to obtain any further details. We found one pair breeding a t Hvanna- lindir. The nest was in the middle of a clump of sea-lyme grass (Elymics arenarius), and consisted of a slight hollow in the sand with one or two pieces of the same grass placed around it. Three young ones had been hatched out shortly before our arrival. Though we found feathers and droppings at the other two oases, no other birds were seen.

One was shot a t Hvannalindir on 20 July. The stomach contained Salix phylicgolia, 45 per cent. ; Salix lanata, 20 per cent. ; Polygonum viviparum, (leaves) 25 per cent., (seeds) 5 per cent. ; Equisetum arvense, 5 per cent, ; and one or two small pieces of Calamagrostis neglecta and Arabis petrcea. All these are common in the oasis except Arabis petrea, which occurs chiefly on the surrounding hill-tops. The crop-contents resembled that of the stomach, except that about 5 per cent. of Salix phylicifolia was replaced by S. herbacea. A little moss (probably Hypnum exannulatum) was also found.

Jens Holmboe (16), writing on the food of Iceland Ptarmi- gan from Akureyri, fitrther north, does not record a single onc of these plants. He examined ten specimens, and notes that Equisetum variegatum is the chief food. He also records Dryas octopetala, Sibbaldia procumbens, Alchemilla alpina, Potentilla verna, Saxifraga oppositifolia, and Thymus serpyllum as having been eaten.

1934.1 26 1 Central and South-East Iceland.

v. BIRDS O F 6 d D A H R A U N .

As these are, I believe, the only notes from the central desert of Iceland, it appears to be worth while including a summary of the observations made. The following table gives the numbers of birds seen north of Vatnajokull :-

Plectrophenax nivalis in. sulm.

Goose sp.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cygnus cygnus islandicus . . Histrionicus histrionicus

Clangula hyemalis . . . . . . . .

Phalaropus fulicarius jour

Phalaropw lobatus . . . . . . . Sapella gallinago fa,eroeensis

Erolia maritima maritima . ,

Larus marinus . . . . . . . . . .

Stercorarius parasiticus. . . .

Lagopus mutus islnndorum .

histrionicus.

daini.

Oasis “A.”

Hvanna- lindir.

VI. SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS ON BIRD-FOOD. Unless otherwise stated, all notes on bird-food refer to the

coahal region. Although only about fifty stomachs were examined, one or two interesting points are illustrated. A very small number of the species of insects available were included in the diet. This lack of variety may be contrasted with the results obtained by Longstaff (17) in West Greenland, where the individuals of different food-species were taken in more equal numbers. This suggests that, unlike Iceland, no species of insect when alive was present in much greater number than any other.

SER. XI=.-VOL. IV. T


The special abundance of antler-moths (Charceas gmminis) during June, July, and August 1932 resulted in an unexpectedly large number of birds using them as a main item of diet, most remarkable of all being the Arctic Terns (Xterna macrura). Out of fifty-one stomachs of eleven species examined, twenty- six contained this moth in abundance. Fourteen stomachs of six species contained a large species of Ichneumonid which was also particularly abundant.

An examination of the food-records given in this paper tends to show that a bird will generally eat whatever food i t can obta.in with the least difficulty in its own particular habitat. We did not find reason to think that any bird selected an area because a type of food which it ate existed there in the greatest quantity. For instance, it does not seem to be a food-factor which limits the Wheatear (Bnanthe cenanthe) to such a definite type of territory as it inhabits in Iceland, and the type of diet apparently matters little in the distribution of the Snow-Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis insulce), since its selected habitat often supports considerably less suitable food than adjoining areas where the bird is absent.

J. C. Mottram(18) has shown that animals and birds can appreciate a difference in palatability, but it seems probable that, although in some cases their prey can be arranged in an order of palatability, provided that food is not actually lacking, many of the Icelandic birds studied do not seem greatly affected by considerations of diet in their selection of habitat. A similar conclusion, based on different evidence, was reached byLack (IS), who has made a detailed examination of habitat selection in the birds of the Breckland in England.

VII. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to all those who have assisted me. Of other members of the expedition, J. A. Beckett was largely responsibIe for the collection of specimens required for the enquiry on bird-food, and he also assisted me in many other ways. P. Falk identified all the plant-material in the food of the birds, and F. W. Anderson was responsible for the main insect collections of the expedition,

1934.1 C'entra.1 and South-East Iceland. 363

which have been essential for the determination of certain specimens.

The following specialists kindly assisted in the identification of the material from some fifty bird-stomachs and crops :- MI,. K. G. Blair (C'oleoptera), Dr. W. 8. Rristowe (Spiders), Dr. Ch. FerriBre (Hpmenoptera), and Mr. G. C. Robson (Mollusca). My thanks are due to the Rev. F. C. R. Jourdain and Dr. T. G. Longstaff for their help and advice. Finally, I am greatly indebted to Messrs. N. B. Kinnear and David Lark for their active help in the preparation of this paper.

VIII. REFERENCES. ( I ) SLATER, H. H.-Manual of t,he Birds of Iceland. (Edinburgh,

1901.) ( 2 ) HANTzSCH, B.-Beitmg zur Kenntnis tier V6gelwdt, Islands.

(Berlin, 1905.) (3) HACHISTTKA, M. U.-A Handbook of the Birds of Iceland. (Lon-

don, 1927.) ( 4 ) ROBERTS, B. B.-The Cambridge Expedition to Vatnajiikull, 1932.

Geographical Journal, April 1933, pp. 289-313. (Maps and photographs. )

(5) LONGSTAFB, T. G.-Records from the North Atlantic, 1931. British Birds, Kov. 1931, pp. 156-158.

(6) Hagskyrslur Islands (Statistique tie I'Islnnde), Yiskiskjrrslur og Hlunninda. (Reykjavik.)

(7) LBPPENTHIX, R.-Die Vogel Nordostgrdnlands zwischen 73" 00' und 75" 30' N. Br. (With English summary.) Meddelelser om Gronland, Bd. 91, no. 6, 1932.

(8) CONGREVE, W. M., and FREME, S. W. P.-Seven Weeks in Eastern and Nort,hern Iceland.

(9) GURNEY, J H.-The Gannet,. (London, 1913.) Pp. 281-284. Ibis, April 1930, pp. 194-228.

(10) GRIEvE.-The Great Auk, or Gare-fowl : its History, Archeology, and Remains." (Edinburgh, 188.5). Pp. 13-11.

(11) ACLAND, C. M., and SALMON. H. M.-The Grassholm Gannets in 1924-a great increase.

( 1 2 ) KOCH, J. €'-Den Danske Ekspedition ti1 Dronning Louises Land og tvsrsover NordgrKnlands Inlandsis 1912-1913. Geografisk Tidskrift, 1913, Hefte vii. Bd. 21, p. 259.

(13 ) SALOMONSEN, F.--Remarks on the European forms of Hwmatopus ostrulegus L.

(14) HARRISSON, T. H., and HURRELL, H. G.-Numerical Fluctuations of the Great Black-backed Gull ( L a m s marinus L.) in England and Wales. Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, 1933, pp. 191-209.

British Birds, Dec. 1994, pp. 178-185.

Ibis, 1930, pp. 56-66.

T 3

264 Count Nils Gyldenstolpe on [Ibis,

(15) MANNICHE, A. V. L.-The Terrestrial Mammals and Birds of N.E. Greenland. Meddelelser om Grenland, xliv. (1910), pp. 123- 125.

(16) HOLMBOE, J.-Hvad lirypen lever av i Norge. Bergens Museums Aarbok, 1922-1923, Naturvidenskap, Rcekke no. 5.

(17) LONOSTAFF, T. G.-An Ecological Reconnaissance in West Green- land.

(IS) MOTTRAM, J. C.-Some Observations on the Feedinghabits of Fish and Birds, with special reference to Warning Coloration and Mimicry. Journal of the Linnean Society (Zool.), xxxiv. (1915-

Journal of Animal Ecology,

Journal of Animal Ecology, Nov. 1932, pp. 119-142.

22), pp. 47-60. (19) LACK, D.-Habitat Selection in Birds.

vol. ii. 1933, pp. 239-262.

XVI .-The Travels and Collectims of Johun August Wahlberg, 1810-1856: a Pioneer Naturalist in South Africa. By Count NILS GYLDENSTOLPE, F.M.B.O.U., C.M.Z.S.

(Plate VIII.)

AMONG those scientists and naturalists who in the first half of the last century explored the unknown and almost unpaciiied wildernesses of South Afric? in order to unveil their Natural History secrets, the name of Johan August Wahlberg will always be remembered and honoured. Although an untimely death from wounds inflicted by a charging elephant put an end t o his fine career as explorer and naturalist, he accomplished it wonderful performance in bringing together-often under the greatest hardship, and with the risk of his own life- magnificent collections of different branches of Natural History,

His collections of birds and mammals, most of which are deposited in the Royal Natural History Museum in Stockholm, are still-although nearly a hundred years have elapsed since they were made-in an excellent state of preservation. They are real models for cabinet-skins, even according to modern conception, thus clearly demonstrating his great skill as a field-taxidermist. All the skins are carefully labelled not only with date and locality and information about the colours of the soft parts, but also, in several cases, with short biological notes.

Documents

XV.—Notes on the Birds of Central and South-East Iceland, with special reference to Food-habits