AN ORNITHOLOGICAL TOUR IN NORWAY. 4G1 



yellow grass, about which Redshanks were calling. We made out 

 one of the Divers lying (on her nest ?) at the edge of one of the 

 islands, while the other bird floated on a distant part of the water. 

 Some hours later, in the evening, we passed the lake again, and 

 as the sitting bird was still in the same position, we had no doubt 

 it was on its nest. We sat down at the edge of the wood on the 

 shore to watch the birds and enjoy the lovely scene. It was a 

 very clear and calm evening ; the blue sky, dappled with white 

 clouds, the snow-capped and snow-lined mountains, the birch 

 woods, the shore, a wooden barn, and even the Diver at the edge 

 of the island, were all reflected in the water, and as clearly 

 defined and coloured as the originals. A visitor from the south 

 can hardly realize how greatly the people up here must long for, 

 and enjoy their short but beautiful summer. On the 19th and 

 22nd also, we saw the Diver on her nest. 



C. septentrionalis, — On the 14th a pair in the Sound were 

 making a most unearthly noise, and another bird was wailing on 

 the west side of the island. On the 22nd, near the same place, 

 I saw one making shallow dives in shallow water close in shore ; 

 the tide was running very fast. 



The Museum at Tromso contains a most interesting collection 

 of northern birds. Among the best things are three Pagophila 

 ebumea in down, from Spitzbergen (unfortunately the eggs of 

 this species had been mislaid, and I could not see them) ; hybrids 

 between Tetrao tetrix and Lagopus albus ; six or seven examples 

 of Colymbus adamsi ; a pure white example of Uria troile, with 

 light-coloured beak and legs ; and a white Tetrao tetrix, with a 

 few black feathers. 



We left Tromso on the 23rd on board the * Vesteraalen,' in* 

 tending to pay a hurried visit to Hammerfest. About two hours 

 out we had a good view of a " Springhval" or " Springer," about 

 fifteen feet long, which takes a curious pleasure in projecting 

 itself in an upright position from the water, and falling on its 

 back or side. Just before passing the point Brynilen, the 

 boundary of Finmarken, the southern point of an islet was seen 

 simply white with Gulls. To judge by those passing us they were 

 L. argentatus. And about that point we identified Razorbills (Alca 

 torda). We reached Hammerfest about 11 p.m., and found the 

 place already en fete for Midsummer-eve. Bonfires were looking 

 rather foolish in the bright sunshine, but cannons were banging 



