202 THE NATURALIST IN NOEWAY. 



from the breast of the duck herself. The eggs vary 

 from eight to twelve in number, and are white, tinged 

 with a greenish shade. 



The gadwall (A. strepera). Another very rare bird 

 in Norway. The eggs are said to be from seven to 

 nine in number, and greenish-gray in colour. 



The pintail (A. acuta). Called here the spids-and, 

 and is common during the breeding-season in Norwe- 

 gian Lapland ; it is seldom met with in the neighbour- 

 hood of Christiania. The pintail is said to be partial 

 to wild berries, especially the bilberry. The female 

 lays from six to nine dirty white eggs, which she 

 covers, when in search of food, with the down from 

 her own breast. 



The wild duck (A. bosch.as). Common in all parts 

 of this country, in the north as well as in the south, 

 and even high up among the fjelds where water is to 

 be found; called here the grces-and, or grass duck, 

 also the vild-and. In summer this bird is common on 

 all the inland lakes of Norway ; there visitors to 

 Christiania will find it on Lake Oieren, a few English 

 miles distant from the Norwegian capital. When 

 winter approaches, it betakes itself to the seacoast. 

 According to Pontoppidan, the male and female sit on 

 the eggs alternately. 



The garganey (A. querquedula) is occasionally seen 

 in the south and south-west of Norway. The nest is 

 made on marshy ground of reeds, grass, and down 

 from the bird's breast, and contains from nine to 

 twelve very pale buff eggs. 



The teal (A. crecca). Next to the wild duck, this is 

 the most common species to be met with in this coun- 

 try ; it breeds on marshy ground on the fjelds, on the 



