Ravens are found in great numbers near every habita tion on the coast, watching for the offal of fish. They breed in the cliffs at a considerable distance from the shores.
The snow-flake, wheatear, white wagtail, golden plover snipe, and whimbrel, together with the ptarmigan, are the other principal land birds of Iceland.
Every kind of water fowl common to northern latitudes is found on the coasts of Iceland, and on the lakes. Swans frequent the lakes and swamps in great numbers. But of all the vat ieties which breed in the country, the eider duck is, from its habits and usefulness, the most remarkable and valuable. Early in June these birds collect in great num bers at every place adapted for making their nests, and where their food is in plenty. The nests are formed on the ground, generally in hollows among, the grass, of straws mixed with the down which they plink from their breasts. There is always a quantits of dot% n round the nest, suf ficient for covering the eggs when the ducks go to feed, which they do regularly during the time of low water, when they can get at the shell-fish an.ong the sea-weeds. At this time these birds lose all their xvi.tiness, and suffer the enemy, avoided by all the low er creation, man, to ap proach, and even to touch them, and to lift them from their nests. The drakes are not so fearless ; hut they frequently remain near the nests, and express their displeasure when any one touches them. As soon as the young ones have lelt the shells, and get to the water, the eider ducks become as wild as any other bird, and in a month or six weeks al most all of them disappear, and it is not of to what place they resort. The nests are robbed ol a cei taut num ber of eggs, and of the down. The former are a great luxury to the natives, and the latter is a valuable article of export. It is part of the employment of the women, tim ing winter, to pick the straws and refuse from the down.
It is from the sca,however, which the Icelanders derive their chief subsistence and profit. The cod is very plen tiful on the coasts; and formerly the fishery of Iceland was prosecuted by the English and French with great suc cess. The fishery commences early in February; and the
inhabitants of the interior move at that time towards the different fishing stations, and travel in darkness through the snow. They engage with the owner of a boat to obey every call for fishing, and to assist in the general labour, and he receives a share of the fish in return for the use of the boat. When a sufficient quantity has been taken, the people from the country return home, leaving the care of drying the fish to the inhabitants of the fishing villages. In June, the farmers carry to the trading stations all their marketable commodities, to he exchanged for necessaries and a few luxuries, and on their return they carry home their fish, to serve them during the next winter. 1 he haddock is also taken in great plenty, and grows here to a very large size.. The cod is chiefly cured for exportation, and the haddock for home consumption. The ling, skate, hollibut, flounders, and the cat-fish, are common, and are likewise dried for winter use. The skate is the least es teemed of all the other fish, and is seldom if ever eaten fresh. Herrings are taken on the north coast ; but though vast shoals of them frequent the bays, this branch of the fishery is not much attended to. Sharks are an important object on the north-west coast, and a considerable quanti ty of oil prepared from them is exported.
Those travellers who have visited Iceland, having heen there only during a short summer, and their time having been almost entirely occupied with viewing the country and its more prominent curiosities, have not pursued zool ogical enquiries very far. From what Mr Hooker says, the insect tribes seem to offer something new. That gen tleman has furnished us with a very complete botanical catalogue, to which we refer such of our readers as desire particular information regarding the vegetable pro ductions of this remote island. The birch is the only tree which withstands the rigours of an artcic winter ; but its growth is limited, in the most favourable situations, to five or six feet.