268 the Zoologist. 



after a good passage and a beautiful sail up the Fjord to Christiana, arrived 

 about noon on the 14th. We spent the evening and the next morning 

 viewing the sights, the most interesting being the old Viking's ship and the 

 Museum, and left by the mid-day express. In the refreshment-room at 

 Koraas, about 2000ft. above the sea, I noticed two stuffed specimens. of 

 Pallas s Sand Grouse, killed in the neighbourhood, I understood, in 1888; 

 also Eagle Owl, Hawk Owl, and Tengmalm's Owl, White-tailed Eagle, and 

 Dotterel. We arrived early on the 16th at Storren, about 390 ft., on the 

 Gula river, and after breakfast in the comfortable inn, looking over the 

 valley of the Gula and the charming grounds and station, all the buildings 

 of which, as well as the hotel, were of wood, and bright with fresh paint and 

 the brilliant sunshine, we started in carrioles for our twenty miles' drive, 

 the weather — as, with the exception of one day's rain and several heavy 

 thunderstorms, it remained during my month's stay in Norway — being most 

 beautiful. Our route, after a short distance by the side of the Gula, lay 

 up the Valley of the Staavil River — a wild, rapid stream, which, like all 

 Norwegian streams, brought down no end of timber during the season to 

 the various saw mills on its banks — to the summit, not above the tree 

 limit, however, at Biserkaker, about 2000 ft., and where there is a small 

 lake. From here, having had our lunch, we commenced our descent by a 

 steep zigzag road into the Valley of the Orkla, which we followed down to 

 our fishing station, Griidt Meldaleu, about 600 ft., and twenty miles or so 

 from a branch of the Trondbjem Fjord, into which it flows. The Orkla 

 above Griidt is a good-sized river flowing rapidly over a rocky bed, with 

 deep pools, rapids, gravel beds, and here and there slight falls. The valley 

 is a deep one, the more level parts cultivated, and studded with saw-mills 

 and farm-houses. The hill-sides, very steep, were mown for hay, where not 

 covered with wood— principally spruce and some pine, with birches and alder 

 and a white poplar in the lower and damper ground. These woods in many 

 places came down to the river. Above they gradually got thinner and 

 merged into the usual Norwegian Fjeld. Below Griidt the river becomes 

 less rapid, and the valley opens out considerably and is more cultivated. 

 The portion of the river seen by us is above Griidt, so that I have no 

 knowledge of the lower portion. 



Fieldfares were nesting everywhere, after the manner of our Thrush or 

 Blackbird, and not in colonies. Wheatear, not numerous, nesting in walls, 

 &c, near the river-side. Whinchat, Redstart, and Redbreast, not numerous. 

 Blackcap and ChifTchaff, fairly numerous. Willow Wren, numerous. Dipper 

 (black-bellied). Marsh Titmouse and Great Titmouse, fairly numerous. Grey 

 Wagtail, not common. White Wagtail, numerous. Pied Flycatcher, numerous, 

 especially in the Valley of the Orkla, and nesting principally in the old 

 nests of the Green Woodpecker in the straight stems of a white poplar ; one 

 nest was in one of the little boxes hung out by the natives on their houses 



