38 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



We arrived at Gudvangen about five o'clock, too late in 

 the afternoon to do anything to the Fieldfares, so we 

 rested till the morrow. 



June 3. 



After breakfast on Saturday, the 3rd of June, we went 

 to look for Fieldfares in the Naerodal. We first found a 

 very neat nest and eggs very like those of a Green Linnet. 

 We watched the bird to the nest, and found it was only 

 a Chaffinch's. Both nest and eggs were remarkable. 

 The former is built entirely of green moss without any 

 lichen, and it assimilated in colour to the green leaves of 

 the alder-tree it was built in. The eggs had a fine green 

 tinge, and the markings were large blotches, gradually 

 shading from darker to lilac. The green tinge is like 

 that found in all eggs of the Brambling which we have 

 yet found. 



We searched the alder- wood in vain for Fieldfares, but 

 only saw one or two pairs of birds, and as many nests 

 built, but without eggs. 



In a birch- wood, however, to which Alston did not go, 

 being hardly game for the scramble yet, I found a colony 

 of Fieldfares, but most of the nests contained nothing. 

 I climbed to about twenty nests altogether, and only 

 found five or six with eggs. Two others, again, had 

 young, and many had broken eggs. I suspected the little 

 boys of taking them, as such as were not destroyed were 

 always in trees which little boys could not climb; and 

 indeed, in one instance, I saw the marks of their feet on 

 the branches. Why they do so I cannot undertake to say. 



In two of the Fieldfares' nests I again got six eggs in 

 each. 



We saw Pied Flycatchers and a couple of Northern 

 Titmice, but no nests. 



I tried for Sea Trout in the Fjord, but it was of no 

 avail, 



