AN ORNITHOLOGICAL TOUR IN NORWAY. 463 



bird. I then saw the brownish female creeping about the stones, 

 or running quickly over the moss and low plants among some 

 piled-up rocks on the rather steep slope the birds inhabited. 

 This pair were very tame, and no doubt had a nest in some cleft 

 or hollow in the rocks. The male presently dropped down and 

 joined the female in her search for food, and at last, when I had 

 pressed them too closely, they flew a short distance. But they 

 were evidently attached to the spot, and would not leave it; and 

 when we passed later on, the male sat on a lump of light grey 

 rock singing again. Another male, which I saw, was answering 

 him at some little distance, for sounds carried far in that clear 

 air ; and another sang from the hillside low down and just above 

 the town. The Snow Bunting's song is gentle, sweet, and joyous, 

 but not merry. Usually the strain is " a chee tee tee a wee a.*' 

 But we had to think about rejoining our boat, and reluctantly 

 turned our backs on that charming moorland. The sun shone 

 brilliantly over the tops of the low snow-banded mountains, and 

 struck quite hot, for Hammerfest, from its position, has a very 

 mild climate. It was difficult to believe it was then about 1 a.m. 

 The people were getting pretty merry as we descended the un- 

 protected zigzag path to the shore, and one man we met seemed 

 to have doubts as to his ability to weather us. Luckily he had 

 sense enough to take the wall, for as he passed he fell helplessly 

 on his side ; as it was he merely rolled in a snow-drift. One of 

 the few tiny pasture fields at the foot of the hill consisted almost 

 entirely of Alchemilla. 



On our way south the steamer stopped for a few minutes off 

 Gibostad in Senjen. Here were immense numbers of Arctic 

 Terns. I noticed three flocks, in one of which the birds were as 

 thick as snowflakes, and the air was full of shrill cries of " krie " 

 and " kik." With them, very busy, were four Richardson's 

 Skuas — three dark and one light-bellied bird. At noon on the 

 25th we were at Bodo, and again saw a Haven. Just after leaving 

 this we passed some rocky holms, and saw hundreds of Eiders, 

 chiefly immature males in varied dress. About five o'clock we had 

 a good view of a prolonged struggle between a dark Richardson's 

 Skua and an adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. It lasted two or 

 three minutes, and the birds kept close to the boat, going back- 

 wards and forwards ; possibly the Gull claimed protection. Up 

 into the air, and down to the water they went, over and over again. 



