290 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



stone- work of the farm-buildings and saeters. One nest I found 

 under a stump in the bank of a ditch by the side of a road, 

 apparently the entrance to an old mouse-hole. Incubation had 

 commenced on May 27th. 



The Tree Pipit (Anthus trivialis) was abundant, more so per- 

 haps than the Meadow Pipit (A. pratensis). 



One of the commonest birds was the Pied Flycatcher (Musci- 

 capa atricapilla). Near dwellings and in the woods its song, such 

 as it is, was to be heard day and night from the middle of May 

 to the end of June ; for this confiding and energetic little bird 

 seems to do with very little sleep during the lovely Norwegian 

 summer nights. On May 20th a nest was in the course of 

 building, and I found eggs on the 30th. A favourite site is in 

 the rotten stump of a birch, which has been broken off some six 

 or seven feet from the ground, and is devoid of bark. Here the 

 birds apparently excavate a hole for themselves, as the entrances 

 were for the most part newly made, and chips were lying on the 

 ground. It was remarkable in how many places a hole had been 

 commenced, and then for some reason forsaken, perhaps because 

 the bird had struck wood that was too hard. I have seen a stump 

 with four such beginnings besides the actual nest-hole. It is, 

 however, as often found building in old holes, and sometimes in 

 extraordinary positions. One pair built in a stack of firewood in 

 a shed, the only entrance to which was through a chink above 

 the door, and it was curious to see the bird literally squeeze itself 

 through this crack. Unfortunately the nest was disturbed, or it 

 would have been interesting to see how the young were brought 

 out. During the time of incubation the male sits on the roof, 

 or tree-top, and practises its rather monotonous song, occasionally 

 making a descent upon some insect on the ground. The female 

 sits very close, and may often be removed from the nest with 

 the hand. 



The Spotted Flycatcher (M. grisola) is by no means so 

 common. 



I observed a Swallow (Hirundo rustica) first on May 25th, 

 and Martins {Chelidon urbica) on the 27th. 



Of the Finches, the commonest was the Brambling (Fringilta 

 montifringilla) . As I have said, there was hardly a colony of 

 Fieldfares but had a pair of these birds as neighbours, though 

 I never found the Finches breeding in company ; in fact, I 



