110 THE NATURALIST IN NORWAY. 



tance," says Nilsson, " the male of this species resem- 

 bles the common gull." It c'ertainly does so in flight 

 and colour, but not in shape. The ash-coloured harrier 

 (Circus cineraceus) is as scarce in Norway as it is in 

 England ; it has been seen, perhaps, twice or thrice 

 here. The marsh harrier (Circus rufus) is also a very 

 rare bird here. Two fine specimens, both killed in 

 Norway, may be seen in the Zoological Museum at 

 Christiania. They are rufous-brown in colour; the 

 tarsi and toes are yellow, tinged with green. The 

 " Strigidae " are more common in Norway than in any 

 other country in Europe. In fact, one or two species 

 appear to confine themselves especially to Norwegian 

 Lapland. It is not surprising that a people so super- 

 stitious as the Norwegian bonder, or peasants, should 

 have many marvellous stories to relate, and should 

 entertain many strange fancies, concerning the bird 

 which has been dedicated to Minerva. Thus it is said 

 in country districts here, that if a person hears the 

 hooting of an owl at night, he will soon be dead ; if 

 a person comes across an owl in the day-time, it is a 

 sign of very bad luck. On. this account the unfortu- 

 nate owl is sadly persecuted in this country ; and if one 

 of the larger species should be spied in the twilight, 

 sitting on an old tree or perched on a ruin, the super- 

 stitious Londe will run away as fast as his legs will 

 carry him, to tell his friends that he has seen some- 

 thing worse than a ghost. 



The gray or Lapland owl (Strix Lapponica, Retz) . 

 This beautiful owl is occasionally seen in all parts of 

 Norway, but its home is in Norwegian Lapland. It 

 resorts to the northern fjelds in summer, where it flies 

 high above the regions of perpetual snow, seeking its 



