13 



thickets of Tromso in very large numbers, is the Sedge-warbler 1 

 (Acrocephalus phragmitis), the only species of its genus, which 

 occurs in Norway. And with us it inhabits almost exclusively 

 the regions north of the arctic circle, whilst everywhere else in 

 Europe it is common in all lowland reed beds. 



Like most of the genuine migrants of the order Passeres, the 

 small birds above alluded to, do not reach these their northern 

 resting-places across the southern parts of Norway, but by the 

 eastern route, across Russia and the Baltic provinces. One con- 

 sequence of this is, that several species which appear frequently 

 in Finmarken, such as the Red-throated Pipit (Anthus cervimis), and 

 the Siberian Willow- Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis), are either not 

 met with at all during migration in the southern parts of the 

 country, or appear there only occasionally and accidentally. 



Particularly numerous in the birch-woods of Tromso are the 

 Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla), and the Mealy Redpoll 

 (Linota linavia] ; and the males, ubiquitous and irrepressible, are to 

 be heard in the early summer practising their best arts of song, 

 although the long, harsh call-note of the first mentioned, the 

 only one which it is capable of producing, hardly deserves the 

 name of song. 



But of all the numerous bird-voices, which meet us as we 

 ramble on a spring day through the still leafless groves of Tromso, 

 there is none more surprising, than the guffaw of the male Willow 

 Grouse (Lagopus albus). This vivacious bird, newly arrayed in its 

 handsomest spring plumage, with the dark chestnut-brown head 

 and neck contrasting sharply with the remainder of the still snow- 

 white dress, never omits to croak, when it settles, after being 

 flushed. Its voice is curious, and indescribable, and is a charac- 

 teristic feature seldom lacking in the life of our mountain birch- 

 woods. 



A fortnight later the hen lays her eggs among the heather 

 or under a birch bush, often close by the frequented roads of the 

 island, or even within the garden or enclosure of the villas. But 

 she lies untouched and safe ; her brown-speckled back matches 



* It may be worth noting, to avoid any chance of confusion, that the 

 Norwegian name is Rorsanger, which means literally Reed-warbler; a species 

 which does not occur so far to the north as even the south of Norway. IransL 



