Iceland is the only other island of importance belonging to this sub-region, and it contrasts strongly with Great Britain, both in its Arctic climate and oceanic position. It is situated just south of the Arctic circle and considerably nearer Greenland than Europe, yet its productions are almost wholly European. The only indigenous land mammalia are the Arctic fox (_Canis lagopus_), and the polar bear as an occasional visitant, with a mouse (_Mus islandicus_), said to be of a peculiar species. Four species of seals visit its shores. The birds are more interesting. According to Professor Newton, ninety-five species have been observed; but many of these are mere stragglers. There are twenty-three land, and seventy-two aquatic birds and waders. Four or five are peculiar species, though very closely related to others inhabiting Scandinavia or Greenland. Only two or three species are more nearly related to Greenland birds than to those of Northern Europe, so that the Palæarctic character of the fauna is unmistakable. The following lists, compiled from a paper by Professor Newton, may be interesting as showing more exactly the character of Icelandic ornithology. 1. Peculiar species.--_Troglodytes borealis_ (closely allied to the common wren, found also in the Faroe Islands); _Falco islandicus_ (closely allied to _F. gyrfalco_); _Lagopus islandorum_ (closely allied to _L. rupestris_ of Greenland). 2. European species resident in Iceland.--_Emberiza nivalis_, _Corvus corax_, _Haliæetus albicilla_, _Rallus aquaticus_, _Hæmatopus ostralegus_, _Cygnus ferus_, _Mergus_ (two species), _Phalacocorax_ (two {199}species), _Sula bassana_, _Larus_ (two species), _Stercorarius catarractes_, _Puffinus anglorum_, _Mergulus alle_, _Uria_ (three species), _Alca torda_. 3. American species resident in Iceland.--_Clangula islandica_, _Histrionicus torquatus_. 4. Annual visitants from Europe.--_Turdus iliacus_, _Ruticilla tithys_, _Saxicola ænanthe_, _Motacilla alba_, _Anthus pratensis_, _Linota linaria_, _Chelidon urbica_, _Hirundo rustica_, _Falco æsalon_, _Surnia nyctea_, _Otus brachyotus_, _Charadrius pluvialis_, _Ægialites hiaticula_, _Strepsilas interpres_, _Phalaropus fulicarius_, _Totanus calidris_, _Limosa_ (species), _Tringa_ (three species), _Calidris arenaria_, _Gallinago media_, _Numenius phæopus_, _Ardea cinerea_, _Anser_ (two species), _Bernicla_ (two species), _Anas_ (four species), _Fuligula marila_, _Harelda glacialis_, _Somateria mollissima_, _Oedemia nigra_, _Sterna macrura_, _Rissa tridactyla_, _Larus luecopterus_, _Stercorarius_ (two species), _Fratercula artica_, _Colymbus_ (two species), _Podiceps cornutus_. 5. Annual visitant from Greenland.--_Falco candicans_. 6.--Former resident, now extinct.--_Alca impennis_ (the great auk). _II.--Mediterranean Sub-region._