80 266 



have often seen it sweep along the ground with pendent wings, or 

 perch in the top of a willow. The females were never met with 

 near the nest or the young brood; indeed it would seem that the 

 males, partially at least, take upon themselves .the duties of incu- 

 bation. The individuals killed on leaving the nest, or when guard- 

 ing their young (they were shot to investigate the fact), were every 

 one of them males, and had large incubation spots. From the 

 stomachs I took insects common on the sea-shore, larvae of Sta- 

 phijlimdce, and fragments of quarz. 



The nests were for the most part found in the grass, in a 

 comparatively dry spot, and often in the middle of a cultivated 

 field; but are the young birds no sooner out of the egg than they 

 betake themselves to a wetter locality. The nest of this bird being 

 rarely built on the top, or at the side of a knoll, it is a matter of 

 great difficulty to discover one. The male will not quit his post 

 till you are within a pace or two of the nest. 



The breeding-season commences about the middle of June, 

 perhaps a day or two later. Young in down were observed on 

 Tams0, July 3rci, and in the course of the next fortnight, a brood 

 or more every day; but I found a nest of eggs atKistrand as late 

 as the 7th July. 



Young in dotvn, just dry (12 hours): — Total length from 

 60 to 62 mm only, tarsus 16, culmen 7V2 ^^- Coloration that of 

 Tr. maritima and cinclns. The brown dorsal patch not very di- 

 stinct, vent washed with brownish. In all individuals examined, a 

 black line extended from the base of the upper mandible to the eye; 

 traces of a similar stripe, stretching from the lower mandible down- 

 wards under the eye, is sometimes visible, but this, perhaps, would 

 subsequently be found to disappear. 



Philomachus pugnax, Lin. 



Breeds scattered on the plateaus of Finmark, up to the North 



Cape and Varangerfjord; indeed Finmark may be regarded as the 



chief breeding-ground of the species in this country. The riiff of 



the males varies in colour, from whitish yellow almost to black. 



Both in 1871 a"nd 1872, I found this bird resident in the neigh- 



