88 NATURAL HISTORY of NORWAY. 



thing that is found on the furface of the water, or along the coaft > 

 for it is not the cuftom of the Maagen to duck under the water 

 for- its food ; his gullet and craw are fo large, that there has been 

 found feven herrings in one of them at once ; his beak is long, 

 and fomewhat bent at the extremity ; and upwards towards the 

 head there are two longifh noftrils ; his legs are but thin and {len- 

 der, but his wings are ftrong. The difference of the feveral kinds of 

 Gulls is this, that fome are of a light grey colour, and large, 

 which are called Graa-Maafer ; thefe have a yellow bill and red legs, 

 and are of the fize of a common hen. Some differ only by being 

 blue and white, with fome black feathers on the hinder part. 

 Some are black on the wings and back, which are called Swarte- 

 bager ; of this is that called the Scare-crow. Others again 

 are fmaller, and of a blueifh colour, which are called Saee-Unger : 

 they build their neft near the water, particularly on the fmall 

 iilands and cliffs in the fea, which are covered with fuch numbers 

 of them, that they appear quite white * : their eggs } which are 

 not defpicable food, are taken away in large quantities. Each 

 female lays three eggs ; they are very large, with great black 

 fpots ; they {it alternately on them, and hatch them in about 

 14 days : the birdmen catch them with an angling-hook like 

 fifli; the flefh is not ufed, and they are skinned with the 

 down on, which is very thick, and makes their fmall body appear 

 much larger than it is -j\ When the Gull is coming into the 

 water betwixt the cliffs and iflands, and the main land, then the 

 farmer knows it is time to make ufe of his nets to fifh ; for mofl 

 kinds of fifh come here in fhoals, which this Bird purfues 

 wherever they go. 



Mufvit. See Kiodmeife. 

 Natvake. The Natvake, a fmall Bird, which, no doubt, has that name 



from its watchfulnefs, and making an odd kind of noife all night ; 

 it is otherwife not much known to me. 

 Nomads- The Nordwinds-Pibe is fomething lefs than a Starling ; of a grey 



Pibe ' colour : it has, without doubt, this name from a noife that it 



makes, as is obferved, when the North wind is to blow ; this, if 

 true, muft come from an extraordinary fenfation he feels in his 

 body at that time. 



* Sometimes the Eagle vifits them to feaft himfelf, but then they gather together 

 to defend themfelves, and with a loud fhriek and noife fcare this king of Birds, and 

 often put him to flight. 



f A particular fort of Strand- Maager, which are found about Greenland ; but as 

 far as I know, not here : they are called by the Hollanders Mallemokke. See Ander- 

 foh's Defcription of Greenland, §. xxx. p.m. 168. 



The 





