764 The Zoologist — June, 1867. 



feathers and marsh wool (Eriophomm) , sometimes plaited with thin 

 juniper bark and a few feathers of the bird itself. Outside it is 8 inches 

 10 lines by 7 inches 3 lines, inside 3 inches 6 lines by 3 inches. Its 

 eggs, three to five in number, are between 26 and 31 mm. in length and 

 20 mm. in breadth, differing both in form and size out of the same nest. 

 The ground colour in the new-laid egg is greenish while, with a strong 

 lustre, but soon gets darker, and when kept any length of time they get 

 lighter again and grow almost grayish white. They are covered with 

 grayish brown spots, which lay under and greenish brown ones laying 

 out on the shell and generally collected in a circle round the larger end. 

 In some eggs the larger end is almost covered with these greenish brown 

 spots, so that the egg, from greenish brown at the thick end, gets lighter 

 and almost unspotted towards the pointed end. Others have only large 

 gray -brown spots here and there on the greenish white ground. It sits 

 from the time that the first egg is deposited, which is necessary in 

 spite of the warm construction of the nest, so that the eggs shall not 

 take harm from the severe cold (sometimes 20° R.) that often occurs in 

 April. The bird will not leave the eggs, however much noise is made 

 near it — no ! not even when one climbs the tree. It sits drawn up 

 close on its eggs, and when lifted off and thrown on one side tries to 

 get back to the nest whilst one is standing there. 



15. Bombycilla garrula. — A single bird was seen at Tana, in 

 November, 1851. On the 27th of March, 1852, a flock was seen on 

 the borders of the Tana River at Nuvus. According to Mr. Wolley's 

 statement they breed in the Naale Forest at Anajok, in Finland and 

 near Muonioniska, in the second week in June, and lay three or 

 four eggs. One egg that I received in 1857, from Mr. Wolley, is about 

 as large as the egg of Turdus iliacus, 23 mm. long, 16 mm. broad, but 

 more shapely, is bluish white, with light blue-gray and black spots all 

 over. It much resembles the egg of Sylvia turdoides, which, however, 

 has a greenish white ground colour and several larger brown blotches, 

 and is stouter io shape. 



16. Hirundo urbica. — Breeds here and there, but, according to 

 Mr. Wolley, there is a colony of these birds iu a ijeld at Bogljord, in 

 South Varanger. 



H. rustica. — Is to be seen every year at Vardti, but has not been 

 found breeding. 



17. H. riparia. — Is not uncommon, and breeds at several places, 

 viz. Seida on the Tana River, Nuorgan in Polmak, and at Oxevaudet: 

 at each place several pairs breed. It seems to me that they have been 



