NOTES FROM NORWAY. 25 



croaking most dismally. The Oystercatchers also got on wing 

 calling incessantly " peep-peep." 



When in the Varanger and Jar fjords I spent some time on 

 the look-out for Steller's Eider, but never came across this duck ; 

 perhaps it was too early in the season. It is said to be not 

 uncommon in winter in these waters. 



One of the prettiest sights I have seen for many years was a 

 flock of 150 to 200 Huffs and Keeves in a small wet, recently cut 

 meadow between Vadso and the moors. A stream ran through the 

 little enclosure fringed with arctic willow and Comarum palustre in 

 flower. About one-third were Ruffs ; these birds were excessively 

 tame ; they were running quickly, with the tibio-tarsal joints 

 much bent, and all eagerly picking out some small object from 

 the grass. Now and then a Ruff would raise himself to the utmost 

 his legs and neck would permit, and look round as much as to 

 say "What is your business here?" When the flock rose they 

 merely circled round close to the ground, and all alighting at once 

 resumed their search within a few yards of where I stood. It was 

 beautiful to watch them, exhibiting as they did not the slightest 

 fear of man. Another interesting sight was the numerous flocks 

 of Phalarope in Vardo and Vadso harbours ; they sat on the water 

 like small butter-bowls, each little head nodding incessantly as 

 they paddled to and fro. They were very tame, keeping the water 

 when only a few yards beyond the sweep of the oars of passing 

 boats, and alighting amongst the shipping. I saw many also 

 on the more open waters of the fjord and in rocky pools on the 

 side of the Jarfjord, swimming very rapidly here and there and 

 snapping at insects. 



Of the smaller birds I found on the tundra north of Vadso 

 and about the whaling station in the Jarfjord, Lapp Buntings, 

 Bluethroats, Red-throated Pipits, White Wagtails, besides the 

 Pipits already noticed by me in ' The Zoologist ' (1896), p. 352. I 

 saw the Hedgesparrow on the outskirts of Vadso, great numbers of 

 House Martins, but have no recollection of seeing any Swallow 

 there, nor the common Sparrow. I never saw a Rook anywhere 

 in Norway north of Bergen. The Willow Wren was common. 

 I watched the Marsh Tit (Parus borealis) on some tall plants in 

 the yard of the Marine Barracks at Trondhjem. This seems 

 a very good species, if size and coloration are of any account. 



