MB. W. D. OBOTOH ON THE NOBWEGIAN LEMMIN&. 83 



one of the Cape-York skins, while the light tips to the 

 wing-coverts and secondaries are not very distinct. All are in 

 somewhat worn plumage. Mr. M'Farlane also sends the bower 

 of this bird, which closely resembles the original one discovered 

 by Mr. Macgillivray and now in the British Museum. It is not 

 ornamented with shells, but has a few berries scattered about on 

 the floor and near the top. 



Additional Note relative to the Norwegian Lemming. 

 By W. DupPA Cbotch, Esq., F.L.S. 



[Bead June 15, 1876.] 



lis the course of a paper which I lately had the honour of reading 

 before the Linnean Society I stated, with reference to the migration 

 of the Lemmings, that this was usually considered to indicate a 

 severe winter approaching. 



It is a fact that the Lemmings began to appear last autumn in 

 Ovre Grudbrandsdalen ; and I now know that the fjeld is 

 overrun with them. Moreover the winter has been very severe, 

 and the summer exceptionally backward, so that ice still remains on 

 many lakes. Yet I am disinclined to believe in this motive for 

 their peregrinations : — first, because bhey have not chosen warmer 

 quarters than they had " at home," wherever that may be ; and, 

 secondly, because, as they live entirely beneath the snow during 

 winter, they are practically unaifected by its severity, and not 

 much troubled by its continuance. With reference to the theory 

 of Atlantic laud to which they may in former ages have retreated, 

 I am glad to find that the Norwegian Government have fitted out 

 a ship, the ' Voringen,' under Capt. Wille, for the express pur- 

 pose of exploring the ocean between Norway and Grreenlaud. 

 The survey in question is to determine the extent of the deep channel 

 which fringes the coast, and to explore the bank between the 

 Faroe Islands and Iceland, as well as to conduct other inves- 

 tigations which may possibly add -to (or diminish) the probabi- 

 lity of the former existence of land to which, as I have before 

 said, the Lemmings and many other migrants may have betaken 

 themselves, but which has now left no surer traces in these lati- 

 tudes than the hereditary instincts of its former visitants. 



