164 THE NATURALIST IN NOEWAY. 



stated. I afterwards found two other young ones 

 under a neighbouring bush, where they had retreated 

 for shelter." 



The woodcock does not appear to be much esteemed 

 in Norway. It is a common thing for the peasants to 

 bring them to market with their bills cut off, when 

 they are sold to confiding people as hjerper. The 

 young birds are fully fledged in this country by the 

 end of June. 



The great snipe (8- major) is said to breed in the 

 central and southern parts ; it is called here the dob- 

 belt bekkasin, or double snipe. It nests on the ground 

 in marshy places, and lays from three to four pale 

 olive-green eggs, marked with black spots. 



The common snipe (S. gallinago). This species 

 is common in all parts of this country, in the north 

 as well as in the south, and especially on marshy 

 lands in the fjelds. It is called here the horse-gjog, or 

 horse -cuckoo, on account of the singular drumming 

 noise which it makes during the breeding season, and 

 which is supposed to resemble the neighing of a horse. 

 Pontoppidan, speaking of the bleating noise made by 

 this bird, says, " The horse-gjog is as big as a magpie ; 

 it does not cry ' cuckoo/ like another cuckoo, but bleats 

 like a goat, wherefore it has been called by some per- 

 sons jord-geedj capreolus." 



This bird is also called the taage-fagl, or fog-bird, 

 because it is supposed to be most commonly seen in 

 foggy weather; albino varieties have been met with 

 in Norway, wholly or partially white. 



The jacksnipe (8. gallinula) is by no means so 

 common as the preceding, but it is, nevertheless, fre- 

 quently seen in all parts of Norway, even in Finmark. 



