Notes on the Ornithology of Norway. 315 



were apparently idlers, and flying together in flocks during the whole 

 summer. 



We were rewarded for many a toilsome search by finding the 

 nest and eggs of the turnstone. They were admirably sheltered 

 from the many storms to which the bleak islands where they breed 

 are exposed, being placed beneath the branches of the juniper 

 bushes, which creep closely along the surface of the rocks. We 

 afterwards found several of their nests ; and it was an easy matter 

 for us to ascertain (before landing) upon which island we should 

 be successful in discovering another of their nests, by the daring at- 

 tacks they made upon any of the larger gulls which approached 

 them. 



The coot was only once seen. 



The bean goose was rather numerous upon one of the huge islands 

 near the Arctic Circle, where it had been breeding during the pre- 

 vious month. 



Of the ducks we noticed the velvet duck, scoter, common wild 

 duck, teal, widgeon, shieldrake, long-tailed duck, golden eye, and 

 eider duck. The last mentioned by far the most numerous, breed- 

 ing in great numbers upon some of the islands ; the male birds, 

 which were floating around them in hundreds, together giving the 

 sea a lively and most beautiful appearance. They are a valuable 

 property to the natives, and are in consequence strictly protected by 

 them. Upon one island which we visited in company with the keep- 

 er, the females were sitting in great numbers, and were so perfectly 

 tame, and on such familiar terms with him, that they did not appear 

 to be in the least disturbed whilst we stood by to look at them, and 

 some of them would even allow him to stroke them on the back with 

 his hand. 



Of the golden-eye we had the satisfaction to find a nest, and, for 

 a bird of its habits, most singularly situated. It was in a tree, in 

 a hole lately occupied by the great black woodpecker, at the height 

 of ten or twelve feet from the ground, and so small that it was with 

 difficulty we could insert the hand. 



Of the goosander we frequently observed small flocks, almost en- 

 tirelv male birds, accompanied rarely by one or two females. The 

 females must have been breeding somewhere in the neighbourhood, 

 but it was in vain that we made every search for the eggs. Upon 

 inquiry of the best informed people, we were told that the females 

 are never seen during the summer, nor until (accompanied by their 

 young ones) they join the male birds in the autumn. 



The red-breasted merganser was frequent upon most of the lakes 



