AN ORNITHOLOGICAL TOUR IN NORWAY. 453 



through the wood I saw the hen bird on the nest, and had to tap 

 the tree before she would come off. Then she started off with 

 angry cries, but settled again almost instantly, clinging to the 

 side of the nest and uttering loud rapid angry cries, not unlike 

 those of a Kestrel. Then she flew off and wheeled quickly round 

 and round just over the tree-tops, with ringing cries. I moved 

 away and sat down on a stump not far off, when she settled in a 

 tree near the nest. But, finding that we did not go away, she flew 

 up again and was joined by her mate for a short time. There was 

 a Fieldfare's nest in a tree not more than half a dozen yards from 

 the Hawk's nest ; and a Mealy Redpoll sat on a tree close to the 

 Hawk. Yet when she was flying round she was pursued and 

 mobbed by the enraged Fieldfares, and the small birds were 

 much excited. Let us hope the pair got most of their food from 

 the fjeld side, whither the male soon departed. The female now 

 remained flying round high up, coming lower occasionally. I had, 

 very reluctantly, to forgo examining the nest, as it was beyond 

 my powers to climb the tall slender smooth trunk of the birch. 

 The female was a cold-brown bird ; her mate bluish, and more 

 distinctly marked beneath, but had no warm tints on the under 

 parts. 



Tinnunculus alaudarius. — The only Kestrel I saw in Norway 

 was on the Floifjeld ; a very pale-coloured male, as seen from 

 above. The great scarcity of diurnal birds of prey in Norway has 

 been noticed by other writers- I believe head-money has been 

 paid by the Government. The Government would have done 

 better to pay head-money for Grey Crows, which are often pain- 

 fully common. Magpies are so domestic in their habits, that they 

 probably do much less damage to the eggs of wild birds. 



Phalacrocorax carbo. — Occasionally seen ; on Grindo, &c. I 

 noticed a Cormorant one day at low tide sitting on a bank just 

 above water among some other birds, hanging its wings out 

 to dry. 



P. graculus. — Occasionally seen ; on Grindo, &c. 



Anser cinereus. — I met with Grey-lag Geese several times on 

 the west side of Tromso, where they are said to breed. Twice I 

 put up single birds at no great distance. On the 18th a pair flying 

 round passed close to us low down ; and on the 22nd I saw a 

 string of six flying up the fjord. The light- coloured bill and grey 

 on the wings are very noticeable. They " honked" and "gaggled" 



