[105] “Gaukmánuðr,” according to Guðbrandr Vigfusson, from the middle of April to the middle of May. Gaukr is the Scotch gowk, the cuckoo. Hrossa-gaukr, “horse cuckoo,” is the green sandpiper, from its peculiar cry (Cleasby). In Sect. 7 the word will be found to have another meaning.

[106] According to the old Icelandic computation of time, as given in the Almanak, Heyanuir was the first month, and began the 25th of July; II. Tvímánuðr; III. Haustmánuðr; IV. Gormánuðr; V. Frermánuðr; VI. Mörsugr; VII. Thorri; VIII. Gói; IX. Einmánuðr; X. Harpa; XI. Skerpla; XII. Sólmánuðr, ending on the 20th of July. From July 21st to 24th are called Aukanætur. The names of the months VII. to IX. are still popularly known. For the rest, the Icelanders count by winter weeks and summer weeks, when they do not use the common names of the months. The terms given by Finnur Magnússon in Specimen Calendarii, e.g., Miðvetrarmánuðr, Föstuinngangsmánuðr, are never used, and it cannot be seen that they ever were known to the people.

[107] See the Icel. treatise called “Fingra-rím;” rím = computation, calendar: A. S. rîm, and ge-rîm.

[108] Dagsmark, “day-mark,” means both the space of three hours (trihorium) and the mark by which this period is fixed.

[109] Others derive it from vika, a week.

[110] Dillon reduces it at Reykjavik to three, and he found the sunlight during Christmas little lighter than our twilights; but the winter was worse than usual.

[111]

Synopsis of dates:

A.D.860(861, Uno Von Troil). Iceland touched at by Naddodd. About this time (862), the Scandinavians, according to Nestor, founded the Russian empire.
”864.Garðar Svafarson built the first house in “Garðarshólm.”
”874.First official colonisation of Iceland by Ingólfr Arnarson.
”877.Gunnbjörn discovered the Gunnbjörnarsker and coast of Greenland.
”929.Althing or Diet founded by Ulfljót.
”930-1300.Augustan age of literature under the aristocratic Republic.
”981-1000.Official discovery of the New World by the Northmen.
”982.Greenland visited by Eirikr Rauði (Eric the Red), father of Leifr the Lucky.
”986.First colony in Greenland established by the same. In 1124 the Bishop’s See was placed at Garðar.
”1262-1264.Iceland incorporated with Norway.
”1380.” ” ” Denmark.
”1477.Iceland visited by Columbus.
”1540-1551.Lutheranism prevailed over Catholic Christianity.
”1800.Althing abolished.
”1843.” re-established.
”1845.” first met at Reykjavik.
”1874.First Constitution granted to the island on the date of its Millenary after Ingólf’s settlement.

[112] i.e., Land-nim-(Germ. nehmen, “Corporal Nym,” and modern slang, “to nim”) book.