NORWAY 49 



small portions where the river ran into and again out 

 of it. 



We next tried a chain of small pools on burn and 

 marshy ground, where numbers of Kedshanks were going 

 in pairs but not yet breeding. 



Alston waited at the lower end of the chain for the 

 chance of Ducks passing, but without result. Meanwhile 

 Ole and I walked along the road about a mile, and then 

 crossed over to the top of the chain. We stalked but 

 unsuccessfully a Blue Hare. We then saw four Teal 

 on a small pond, at which I got right and left shots, kill- 

 ing two, <? and ? . One fell on the ice, which, though 

 rotten, was sufficiently strong to bear us. We saw a 

 couple of Wild Ducks, but did not get a shot. 



On the way home through some birch- woods we had a 

 long chase after two or three wild Skov Ryper. I at last 

 got a shot, but a long one, as he skimmed downhill close 

 over the snow, which here was very soft, and we went 

 often very deep into it. Going up the steep slopes, 

 hands and knees were often by me at least usefully 

 employed. 



Coming home we went to the Fieldfare's nest, in which 

 I had seen four eggs this morning. At the foot of the 

 tree I found a broken egg, and on climbing to the nest 

 found all four eggs gone. We could attribute this to 

 nothing but the bird herself, and Ole assured us that he 

 had heard that they did break their eggs if they were 

 handled, but he did not believe it. A former story was 

 related to me in Scotland of a similar practice in the 

 habits of the Common Buzzard. We hope to test it as 

 regards the Fieldfare later on. 



Other birds seen by us to-day were a Great Tit, seen in 

 front of the house, several Martins (Ole mentions they 

 breed here), a pair of Ravens, a pair or two of Common 

 Sandpipers at Smedalsvand, a Common Snipe (shot by 



VOL. i. 5 



