164 SPORT IN NORWAY. 



The only feasible plan, I think, is to trap them late 

 in the autumn ; but as the Norwegian peasant has the 

 most barbarous and primitive traps to be found any- 

 where in the world, and thinks only of the market and 

 the everlasting dollar, it is almost useless to rely on 

 any assistance from that quarter. When in Norway I 

 was authorized by the Acclimatization Society to offer a 

 large sum per head for any specimens brought alive to 

 me, and in good order ; but I never succeeded in 

 my endeavours, though I used every means for making 

 my wishes known. It is true one man near Dahl, about 

 thirty miles from town, caught one ; but fearful lest it 

 would fret itself to death, if kept even for a short time in 

 solitary confinement, he wrung its neck. Imagine my 

 disgust when I heard of it ! The certainty of a mark 

 to the prospective contingency of a couple of dollars 

 proved too strong an inducement to the Bonde's cal- 

 culating mind. 



The CAPEKCALZIE (Tiur, Eoy) are generally plen- 

 tiful in large forest districts. It is an interesting sight 

 to watch the male bird (tiur) when he is paying 

 his addresses to the female (roy). It occurs in the 

 month of April. At about one A.M. the male birds begin 

 to " spille," or " lege," as it is termed, literally "play." 

 They perch usually on the branch of a Scotch fir tree, 

 and commence making a peculiar noise with the beak, 

 emitting three sounds in succession, like the knocking 



