LITERARY MEN IN NORWAY. >\\ \ \ l{) j; 



he does not disdain to glance at French novels, he de- 

 vours all the works of German play-writers, but he 

 does not honour the prophets of his own country. If 

 a Norwegian literary man were to publish a work on 

 any scientific subject, it would come forth stillborn 

 from the press ; perhaps an exception should be made 

 in favour of the late Professor Munch, who published 

 many volumes on the history of Norway. His works 

 had a certain success, but not in comparison to the 

 learning and research displayed in them. It is sur- 

 prising that the learned men of Norway do not come 

 forward, as they ought, to relieve their country of the 

 deserved stigma of not encouraging literature, but so 

 it is. I once asked the most accomplished naturalist 

 in Norway what was the reason that he did not pub- 

 lish a work on the natural history of his own country. 

 " Because it would not pay," was his reply ; " my 

 countrymen would not buy it." "But," I ventured 

 gently to inquire, " do you think such a work would 

 be useful ? Besides, there is the honour of the thing." 

 The learned Professor shrugged his shoulders, and 

 smiled ; he evidently considered me a man of a very 

 sentimental turn of mind. 



The birds of prey of this country are very nume- 

 rous ; but as a certain sum of money is paid by the 

 foged, or sheriff of a district, for the head of every 

 eagle, hawk, or owl that is brought to him, an indis- 

 criminate slaughter of such birds is carried on by the 

 Norwegian peasants. 



The various species of woodpeckers are common in 

 all parts of Norway where woods abound ; these 

 woods contain vast numbers of coleopteric insects on 

 which the " Picidse" feed. 



