1889-90-] Rats a7id the Balance of Nature. 333 



of illustration to foreign countries by no means improves his 

 position. In foreign countries you may have a change of 

 climate, and the hours which constitute day and night may 

 produce a marked change in the climatic environments, but 

 not so in the operation of nature's laws. Nature is ever true 

 and unchanging when left to herself. But what of this 

 foreign experience ? I have never shot in either of the 

 countries referred to, but the season before last I had a most 

 enjoyable sporting tour all over Norway, where the balance of 

 nature has not been seriously interfered with. The balance 

 there shows a great deal more vermin than game, — hoodie- 

 crows being in thousands, and magpies breeding on the tops of 

 the houses, the peasantry being too superstitious to disturb 

 them. The ISTorwegian Government are becoming alive to the 

 destruction of game and farm stock by vermin, and are now 

 giving rewards to those who kill certain birds and beasts of 

 prey, including bears, wolves, eagles, hawks, &c. 



While staying at Molde, a party of us were driving on the 

 road a few miles to the east of the village, and when passing 

 a peasant's house we observed a large hawk swoop down among 

 some domestic poultry. The cock, having no chance of 

 escape, stood his ground, but the hawk clutched a large num- 

 ber of feathers from liis back, and doubtless would have killed 

 him had an old woman not ran to the rescue with a heather 

 besom. To have shot that hawk would have been disturbing 

 the balance of nature, and to my mind it would have been a 

 sensible act. During the same week news came in to the 

 village that sixteen sheep had been killed, and a bear with 

 two cubs had been seen within three miles' distance. A party 

 of volunteers went off in pursuit to disturb the balance of 

 nature, but in consequence of an accident I was unable to 

 accompany them, much to my regret. Bruin, however, was 

 too wide awake for them. 



In a short sojourn among the Laps, I discoA'^ered that the 

 greatest difficulties they have to encounter is in trying to 

 disturb the balance of nature in the protection of their herds 

 of reindeer from the depredation of wolves. Every device is 

 resorted to in their primitive fashion to kill the wolves, and 

 their destruction is as essential for the wellbeing of the 



