78 APPENDIX: NO. L. 
without external injury, but after they became scarce, their tracks 
were only found from time to time in the snow during both the 
following winters. It is well known that these animals do not 
become torpid in winter. . 
“He has made continued enquiries of the Lapps concerning the 
Mountain-Lemmings, and when he has been able to get any regular 
information, it has generally been to the effect that they are always 
found in greater or less numbers in the mountains, but that their 
numbers at times increase to a surprising degree, whereupon they 
begin to wander in different directions. On one point, however, 
all his informants agree—it is in the mountains that the great 
increase takes place and before the Lemmiugs shew themselves in 
the lowlands. 
“In regard to the rest of the Lemmings, he saw no reason 
to suppose that they wandered to any great extent from one 
place to another—‘ On the contrary, I should suppose that they 
multiply in the lowlands from some unknown cause or other at 
the same time as the Lemmings in the mountains, and that they die 
with them probably from some infectious disease. That it is an 
infectious disease, and not a mortality arising from the unfavourable 
conditions under which the Mountain-Lemmings live, seems evident 
from the sudden mortality which extends to the other species of 
Lemmus at the same time, though these do not live under conditions 
unnatural for the support of life.’ ; 
“The visitation of Lemmings of which he was an eye-witness was 
accompanied by a remarkable host of parasites. The presence and 
increase in number of Bears, Wolves, Foxes, White Foxes, Ermines 
and Weasels were, as was told him and as he himself had oecasion 
to observe, specially produced thereby ; but without entering into 
details concerning the quadrupeds, he would content himself with 
the Birds. 
“The chief Lemming-eaters seem to be Strix nyctea, S. lapponica, 
S. funerea, S. brachyotus and Falco lagopus. And Strix bubo, though 
seldom met with, no more refuses Lemmings than the little S. teng- 
malmi, which not rarely, according to what he supposes, eats the 
small animals. Besides these, one or two species of Leséris followed 
the Lemming-hosts. 
“ Falco palumbarius and without doubt other birds avail themselves 
of the opportunity and make a good meal of what they find so near 
at hand. 
“Not only of the above-named, but of birds in general, ac- 
cording to report, was there an abundance in this year 1853, 
and his experience in the two following years led him to consider 
it true. 
“very species of Bird-of-prey has its own pecuhar habit. 
“ Strix nyctea keeps on the fells and highlands, where according to 
the report of the Lapps it breeds in abundance. 
“S. lapponica and 8. tengmalmi keep exclusively, and S. funerea 
