312 Notes on the Ornithology of Norway. 



birds may share their festivities and enjoyments, they place a sheaf 

 of corn at the end of their houses. 



The jay occurred once or twice. 



The starling (next to the fieldfare) is the most abundant bird in 

 the country, breeding in almost every house. 



Of the thrushes, the fieldfare is very common, although rather 

 local, not generally dispersed through the forests, but occupying 

 particular parts of them, to which it seems to return year after year, 

 — nests of previous years being mixed amongst those of the present. 

 In these localities it abounds, breeding in society. The nests (a 

 hundred of which might be found in a very limited distance) are 

 placed in the spruce fir, at distances from the ground varying from 

 four to forty feet or upwards. They as well as the eggs very much 

 resemble those of the blackbird ; the latter were often five, and not 

 unfrequently six in number. Their hurried flight from tree to tree., 

 and their loud harsh cries, very soon point out their locality. Mr 

 Swainson, in an article on the nests of birds in Lardner's Cyclopae- 

 dia, in order to support a rule laid down by him, that all insectivo- 

 rous birds are solitary builders, states that the fieldfares are never 

 known to breed together. In this statement, as I have shown above, 

 he is quite mistaken. How does he reconcile the habits of the house 

 and sand martins to this rule ? They (especially the latter) are not 

 solitary builders. 



The redwing was but seldom seen, and then perched upon the 

 summit of one of the highest trees, pouring forth its delightfully 

 wild note. It was always very shy, and upon seeing our approach 

 would drop suddenly from its height, and disappear amongst the 

 underwood. Its nest, which we twice found with young ones, (al- 

 though our unceasing endeavours to obtain its eggs were fruitless,) 

 was similar to that of the fieldfare, but nearer the ground. 



The redwing is called the nightingale of Norway, and well it de- 

 serves the name. 



The song thrush and the blackbird were occasionally seen. The 

 ring ouzel often, frequenting many of the wooded rocks, and enliven- 

 ing the most bleak and desolate islands with its sweet song. It 

 shares with the redwing the name of nightingale, and often delight- 

 ed us in our midnight visits amongst the islands. 



The water ouzel was noticed a few times. 



Of the swallow tribe, the swift and the swallow were seldom seen. 

 The house martin was in the greatest numbers, breeding in the lof- 

 ty rocks, through which the celebrated archway at Forghattan pas- 

 ses. The sand martin was breeding unmolested in the walls of 



