NATURALIST IN NOEWAY. 



Many tropical birds visit Norway during the brief 

 but hot summer ; they confine themselves, however, 

 to the southern parts of this country. It is difficult 

 for travellers to purchase specimens of rare birds in 

 this country, for anything in the shape of fish, flesh, 

 or fowl, that comes into the possession of the Norwe- 

 gian peasant, finds its way into his capacious pot. He 

 is also naturally a man of a suspicious disposition, and 

 would rather make sure of a few pence for the head of 

 a hawk from the foged than reserve the bird for a 

 stranger's purchase. The song of birds is heard in all 

 parts of Norway during the summer months. Most 

 song-birds, however, migrate early to warmer climes. 



The Norwegians have a benevolent custom of erect- 

 ing a sheaf of corn on a pole, during the severe 

 winter, for the special benefit of small birds ; this is 

 generally done late in the autumn, and is considered a 

 time of rejoicing. The children have a feast on the 

 occasion, and are thus taught early that they should 

 be kind to dumb creatures. In towns the sheaf of 

 corn is generally placed outside the windows of the 

 houses. 



The classification of Nilsson is principally adopted 

 in the following notes on the ornithology of Norway. 



The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). This noble 

 bird is found in different parts of Norway. It is often 

 seen in Norwegian Lapland. It returns to the same 

 eyrie year after year, haunting some large river, inland 

 lake, or the neighbourhood of some mighty waterfall. 

 Although it lays two eggs, it has seldom more than a 

 single eaglet, to whom the strictest attention is paid, 

 until it is able to leave the nest and shift for itself. 

 It changes the colour of its plumage in Norway, and 



