THE FEATHERED GAME OF NORWAY. 161 



he will, in all likelihood, be more than repaid for all 

 the toil to which he has had to submit. 



To insure sport amongst the feathered tribes, it will, 

 I think, be most desirable to engage the services of 

 a regular hunter, or at least of one who is well ac- 

 quainted with the ground, otherwise much valuable 

 time will be thrown away. A good hunter will expect 

 his dollar a day ; but in ordinary cases half of this sum 

 ought to be sufficient. 



In my humble opinion, of all the feathered game 

 of Norway, the HJEEPE (Tetrao lonasia, Gelinotte, 

 Hasel-huhn) is the best for the table, and affords 

 the worst sport. 



These birds are abundant in parts of Norway and 

 Sweden. In size they are about as large as the French 

 partridge, and resemble that bird much in the shape of 

 the head and neck. Their meat also is white, as is 

 the case with that bird. The plumage is speckled, 

 grey and brown, and the male bird has a black patch 

 on the throat. The legs are feathered. 



The Norwegians hold the hjerpe in great esteem as 

 an article of food, prizing it before ryper, black game, 

 or capercalzie ; and I have over and over again (in fact, 

 it is a universal custom) seen woodcocks offered for sale 

 in the market, with their bills cut short off, so as 

 to palm them more readily off upon the uninitiated for 

 this favourite bird. 



M 



