134 



Rosendal estate, in Hardanger, a similar attempt was made, and with the same result. As regards 

 the distribution of this species in a vertical direction, it may be observed that a covey of eight or 

 ten birds was seen in the autumn of 1860 at Nystuen, on the Fillefjeld, at an altitude of 3200 feet 

 above the sea." 



It is said that the Partridge was introduced into Sweden about the year 1500 ; but Sundevall 

 doubts this, and believes that it must have occurred there previously to that. It is found 

 throughout that country in suitable localities up to the plains of Upland, and possibly to Gefle, 

 and in the lowlands to 60° N. lat. ; but in favourable seasons it ranges further north, and increases 

 until a severe winter again destroys them. It has been seen in numbers in Helsingland and the 

 southern portion of Dalecarlia ; and small coveys have appeared in the Herjedale, and in Svegs 

 parish in 62° N. lat. Stragglers have also been seen in Upper Medelpad, and even in Norrbotten. 

 I am indebted to Dr. Sundstrom for the following notes respecting the range of the Partridge in 

 Sweden, viz. : — " Of late the Partridge has penetrated much further north than when Nilsson, 

 in the third edition of his work on the birds of Scandinavia, gave Helsingland as the northern 



o 



boundary of its range. Since then it has penetrated into Angermanland, whence several are 

 sent every year to Stockholm in the sledge-loads of game. The game-dealers there at first 

 looked on it as an almost valueless small bird. Even further north it has been seen; for it 

 was obtained at the Gylgen iron-works in Ofver-Kalix parish (in 66° 15' N. lat.), and a covey of 

 about a dozen is said to have remained there during the winter of 1862-63, resorting to the 

 garden of the works, where they were regularly fed. There is no reason to believe that they 



O 



were turned out there ; they probably came from Angermanland. In many parts of Jemtland 

 the Partridge is now by no means rare. In 1845 a covey is said to have resorted to a rye-field 

 near Hammardal church, about six Swedish miles north-west of Ostersund ; and in 1860 notice 

 was taken of some strange birds which were caught in the Ptarmigan-snares, and which were 

 supposed to be a variety of the Hazel Grouse, or hybrids, but which proved to be Partridges. 

 Since then it has become commoner and better known in Jemtland, and is most numerous about 



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Storsjon and Locknesjon, whence it ranges westward to the fells, to Areshuta and Kails parish, 

 about 1700 feet above the sea, whence there is but little arable land, and chiefly forest and bare 

 damp fields. During the last ten years it bred regularly round Storsjon and Locknesjon in spite 

 of a cold winter in 1867-68 followed by a late and severe spring, which is the more remarkable 

 because in Central and Southern Sweden in a severe winter, as in 1860, they get decimated, and 

 even in some places killed out. From this it would appear that neither the severe cold of 1867, 

 when during three weeks the thermometer ranged between 30 and 40 degrees of frost, nor the 

 dense masses of snow cause the great mortality amongst these birds, which must arise from some 

 other cause, probably want of food and ravages caused by birds of prey and men ; for during the 

 severe cold these birds are more easily obtained." In Finland, Dr. Palmen writes (Finl. Fogl. ii. 

 p. 49), its range is very irregular; for in some seasons it is found up to 65° N. lat., where it soon 

 disappears during cold winters, and between 1860 and 1870 it nearly disappeared, but in 1871 it 

 began to increase again. Dr. Palmen gives numerous instances of its occurrence throughout the 

 country up to Uleaborg, where it has been seen in tolerable numbers, but has since disappeared, 

 and one only was seen in the early part of the winter of 1871. Of late years it has also dis- 

 appeared from Sotkamo, where it formerly occurred, as also in Kajana, and up to Hyrynsalmi 



