58 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Ruticilla phoenicurus. — We only once identified the Redstart, 

 in the lower part of the Tromsdal, to wit, on July 15th. 



Erithacus rubecala. — The Robin seems to be a shy woodland 

 bird in Norway. Several were singing at Lyngseidet about 

 1 a.m. on the 17th, as the dull morning light strengthened. 



Saxicola oenanthe. — A pair of Wheatears, with their brood, on 

 rough ground below the birch woods, were amongst the first 

 birds that we saw at Tromso. Two days later another pair 

 upon the rocky shore of Grindo had young just flying. On July 

 23rd we met with this species on an islet off Store Molle, in the 

 Lofotens. 



Turdus iliacus. — Our first day at Tromso, spent in the birch 

 woods in pouring rain, introduced us to the Redwing's song of a 

 few whistling or piping notes. Sometimes a young bird which 

 had left the nest would bustle out of the top of a birch tree with 

 a chuckle. The old birds which had young were exceedingly 

 fussy. Thus on the 13th, in the woods at the base of Floifjeld, 

 a Redwing clucked and scolded persistently like a Song Thrush 

 as it flew round us, but we could find nothing. A second pair, 

 in a great state of excitement, led to a search, with the result that 

 we put up some of their young ones just flying. Two or three 

 Redwings were singing in the woods at Lyngseidet in heavy rain 

 early on the morning of the 17th. Owing to its shyness, or to 

 its habit of not breeding in colonies, this species appears to be 

 far less numerous than the Fieldfare, but such can hardly be the 

 case in reality, judging from the numbers which visit us in 

 winter. While the Fieldfare sits boldly, the Redwing slips off its 

 nest at the approach of an intruder ; so that its eggs are not 

 easily identified. A nest found on July 19th on the far side of 

 the island was attributed to this species. The eggs, which were 

 warm, were not to be distinguished with certainty from Field- 

 fares', but, though we watched for some time, no Fieldfare 

 appeared to lay claim to them, while the Redwings were close at 

 hand and vociferous. 



T. pilaris. — We met with Fieldfares in every locality visited, 

 even on Skjervo, where the birches were very small ; but in 

 Lofoten, where wood was scanty and of low growth, we only came 

 across them upon one occasion. A first day in the woods at 

 Tromso, in steady rain, had yielded little, when the excited 



