Birds. 3085 



tory either their business or their pleasure, I ascertained that the 

 Bohemian wax wing is not considered a regular periodical visitor, as 

 at some seasons he appears in considerable numbers, at others again 

 not one is to be seen. Sometimes there is an interval of several years 

 between the arrivals of these beautiful birds, and then (as in 1849 

 and again in 1850) they may come in very large flocks. I selected 

 some specimens out of thirty skins of these birds, all of which had 

 been knocked down in the Botanical Gardens of Christiania, by the 

 son of the director, in 1849; but he told me, that previous to that 

 year, not one had been seen, so far as he could ascertain, for many 

 years, although of course in a country like Norway, extending over 

 so vast a space (being about one thousand English miles in length, 

 from the most southern point to the North Cape), and being so thinly 

 peopled (the whole population not exceeding a million and a half, or 

 only three-fourths of the population of London alone), we can easily 

 conceive, that a very great number of strange birds may appear in 

 various parts of the country, unnoticed by any one ; and especially 

 when we consider that, excepting in the three towns of Norway 

 (Christiania, Bergen and Trondhjem), there are scarcely any persons, 

 who from education, or leisure, or knowledge of the subject, would be 

 likely to observe what unwonted birds made their appearance ; still 

 less, to make known such occurrences, did any strange birds thrust 

 themselves upon their notice. I think 1 may safely say, the Norwe- 

 gians are not likely to possess the advantage of such a publication as 

 the ' Zoologist ' for many a day to come. 



The Magpie [Pica caudata). This bird, usually so shy in this 

 country, and so difficult to approach within gunshot, seems to have en- 

 tirely changed its character in Norway : it is there the most domestic 

 and fearless bird : its nest is invariably placed in a small tree or bush 

 adjoining some farm or cottage, and not un frequently in the very 

 midst of some straggling village. If there happens to be a suitable 

 tree by the roadside, and near a house, it is a very favourite locality 

 for a Norwegian magpie's nest. I have often wondered to see the 

 confidence and fearlessness displayed by this bird in Norway : he will 

 only just move out of your horse's way, as you drive by him on the 

 road ; and should he be perched on the rail by the roadside, he will 

 only stare at you as you rattle by, but never think of moving off. It is 

 very pleasant to see this absence of fear of man in Norwegian birds: it 

 is shared very generally by the feathered tribes there, if we except the 

 whole order Raptores : for these there is a premium, varying with the 

 destructive powers of the bird ; viz., for eagles, sixty skillings, or two 



