284 TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS OF THE [Sess. lxiv. 



Dryopteris, P. PhegQ'pteris, Maianihemum Convallaria, 

 etc. 



During our stay at the Xamsen Kiver, the following 

 were also observed : — Tricntalis Europcea, Mulgedium 

 aljxinuvi (this plant is said to be used* medicinally by 

 the Lapps, who mix it with their bread, as a preventive of 

 scurvy), and Anemone sylvnticc( (?). This plant had done 

 flowering, and we were informed l3y the Lutheran priest at 

 Oberhalden that the flowers are yellow as well as white.^ 

 This priest is a very agreeable man, and, like most educated 

 Norwegians, speaks English fairly well. Strange to say, 

 the only stone building in the neighbourhood — tlie 

 church— had been destroyed by fire, owing to overheating,, 

 after a new organ had been put in. When we sympathised 

 with him about this, he said, " It was very sorrowful to 

 see the eldest church in the valley destroyed, l)ut I hope 

 it will soon be reparated." Other finds in this locality 

 were BcUda nana, Iinhns Chamcemoms (in flower and 

 fruit), Andromeda iwlifolia, Nymphoia alba, Strutliiopteris 

 Germanica, Asplcnium sejdentrioncde (at Namsos), Lysim- 

 achia thyrsijlora, Calluna vnlr/aris (which is abundant in 

 the south of Norway, but not so common in other parts), 

 also Sp)lachnum hiteum, a curious moss. 



After this pleasant digression, we returned to Trondhjem 

 by the way we had come. At Namsos, where we had to 

 wait many hours for tlie steamer, we w^ere examined by 

 Mr. Sommerschield as to the origin of the word 

 " hammock," which he said was not to be found in 

 '' Webster," but his philological researches had enabled 

 tiim to say that it was of IJed-Indian origin. It was 

 interesting on board the steamer to watch the operations 

 of the skua, a bird of prey, which, being unable to catch 

 fish for itself, chases gulls and terns until they disgorge 

 and drop the fish which they have caught. The skua then 

 pounces upon its booty, sometimes catching it before it 

 reach(;s the sea. Some exciting chases were witnessed. 



The weather being wet when we got Ijack to Trondhjem, 

 we spent no morii time tliere than was required to see the 

 famous old G(jtiiic cathedral. Like so many other build- 



^ Possibly there were two .species — Anemone neviorosa, L., and 

 A. rdinuiculoiik's, \j. 



