9356 Notes from Norway. 
some years before had disturbed many ptarmigan and two snowy owls, 
I and my companions on this occasion took up with us a breech- 
loading carbine and a double-barrel breech-loading shot gun. Thus 
fully prepared, we shonld have done good execution among any game 
we could possibly meet. Unfortunately we never saw anything nearer 
the cbject of our wishes than the droppings of apparently an alpine 
hare on the snow. Two large eagles were seen in the distance. 
Blue-throated Robin.—While staying at Hjerkin, and rambling 
about the open fjell, opposite the station, my attention was called to 
the note of a bird quite unfamiliar to me. The birds seemed to be in 
some abundance in a clump of birch bushes. The note somewhat 
resembled that of the whinchat or wheatear, but instead of the final 
“tick, tick,” the bird uttered a. deep bass “ tuck,: tuck,” very softly. 
Not being able to recognise the bird, I shot one, which I at.once saw 
was a young specimen of the bluethroated robin (Motacilla suecica). 
This was a prize, for the bird and its habits alike were quite new to 
my experience. I afterwards shot nine specimens, some of them 
magnificent old males, with the azure-blue throats. In all but two 
specimens the patch in the centre of the blue was chestnut-brown: 
in the exceptional two we could just trace some white feathers 
in the margin; I failed, however, in seeing one with the white 
space fully developed, as in the British-shot specimen figured by 
Yarrell. I watched closely with my glass, and had any appeared with 
conspicuous white patches, I could scarcely have overlooked them. 
On my return to Christiana I spoke to Professor Essmark upon this 
subject. This gentleman seemed to think the Norwegian bird never 
had this patch otherwise coloured than chestnut-brown, while birds 
shot in Germany and France had the same space invariably white. 
This is a subject that requires further research. I looked in vain for 
a late nest with eggs. The birds when disturbed invariably alighted 
again near the roots of the bush, and crept about like wrens. 
Adders.—Adders seem to be abundant in the higher parts of the 
Dovre, for during my stay at Hjerkin I saw two very large specimens, 
but owing to their quickness failed in catching either. 
Ring Ouzel.—Ring ouzels seemed to be building in some rocks to 
the eastward of the station at Hjerkin, for on approaching the locality 
I was mobbed by a number of these birds, who were evidently alarmed 
at my invasion of their breeding-place. 
Cuckoo.—Cuckoos were seen and heard on many occasions. They 
were almost invariably followed and mobbed by a crowd of small 
birds. Hearing the approach of such a mob, ] dropped gently into 
