&868 Natural-History Notes 
beautiful crimson flowers of Vaccinium oxycoccus. Here we disturbed 
whole flocks of redshanks, lapwings and other waders. Shot a fine 
male redshank, but failed in finding any nests, owing to the sponginess 
of the ground. 
Museum at Bergen. We visited the Museum at Bergen, and were 
much interested with the very extensive collection of fishes preserved 
there. Specimens of the opah (Lampris guitatus) of large size were 
noticed, and one curious ribband-shaped fish of great length was 
shown us as a great rarity: this is called by the Norwegians the 
“herring king” (Gymnetrus glesne). This collection of fishes con- 
tains, I believe, many of extreme rarily, and all seem admirably 
preserved. The collection of antiquities belonging to the stone, 
bronze and iron ages, and of rune stones, is also very extensive, and 
would amply repay the visits of our archeologists. One or two cylin- 
drical stones of remarkable, though unmistakeable form, had been dug 
up in the neighbourhood of the Sogn Fjord: probably these, like the 
Egyptian obelisks, were regarded as symbols of fecundity, and con- 
nected in some way with religious rites at a very remote period. 
Willow Grouse. The Bergen Museum also afforded me an oppor- 
tunity of examining a very good series of specimens of the willow 
grouse in all stages of plumage. In many specimens the only 
difference between this bird and the British red grouse was in the 
white wings of the former. I am now fully satisfied the two birds are 
identical. In continuation of this subject, I may mention that we met 
with a very intelligent Norwegian sportsman, who knew the willow 
grouse well, and who, moreover, had shot the red grouse in Scotland ; 
he unhesitatingly stated his opinion that the two birds were the same, 
My friend Mr. Dobrée had the good fortune to have an egg of the 
willow grouse presented to him by this gentleman: this is in no way 
to be distinguished from the egg of the red grouse. This gentleman 
also informed me that Lord Garvegh, who was then in Norway, had a 
good series of eggs of the willow grouse. Perhaps his lordship would 
allow these to be examined, and by this means tend to clear up this 
disputed question. I know of no question of greater interest to the 
naturalists of this country, and I trust some competent ornithologist 
will take the subject in hand, and come to some decision as to whether 
the slight difference in plumage is of any specific value or not. 
Ring Ouzel. Saw several specimens of the ring ouzel in the valley 
leading to the Bondhuus Glacier of the Folgefond, and indeed all 
over the country, Here I caught with my net specimens of an Hip- 
parchia similar to, though I believe distinct from, the Arran Argus. 
