98 NATURAL HI S TO It Y of N R fV A T. 



tho' that difference probably is only a change of their colour, 

 as the Partridges and hares become white in Winter 2 but I 

 do not know any more of this, than what Olig. Jacobseus, in 

 Mufeo Regio, Seel. ii. p. 12. writes: In quibufdam Norvegife 

 locis tempore hyemali pafleres omnes niveum colorem induere non- 

 nulli referunt. 

 st*r. ^ The Stser or Star, the Starling, is in fhape like a Thrum ; it 



is black and fpotted; this fort appears ufually in great flights, and 

 builds its neft in barns or ftables The Starling has two broods of 

 young in a year; and in the Winter they remain with us in a 

 ftate of infenfibility. 

 steenduip. The Steendulp, or Steenfquette, the Water-wagtail, fo called 



becaufe it builds its neft among flones, is a fmall grey and white 

 Bird, fomething like a Sparrow : it is called by fome Quick Stiert, 

 becaufe it is always wagging its tail. 

 stiiiitz. The Stillitz, the Goldfinch, is a well-known pretty little 



Bird, admired for its tinging, and frequently kept in a cage. 

 stork. The Stork, does not properly belong to this work,, becaufe it 



is not a natiye of this country, and but few Norvegians have ever 

 feenone, efpecially eaftward. Some perfons tell me they have fen 

 Storks weflward, but then perhaps only a fingle one, and never 

 to make any flay, or build their nefls ; fo that they have proba- 

 bly been ftray'd ones, that by accident had left the flock *• 

 Strand Erie. See Fiser Muus. 

 Strand Skade. See Skadc. 

 SvaIe> The Svale, or Swallow, is very well known by its building 



about houfes. Hr. Jac. Klein, in his Hiftoria Avium, juft pub- 

 lifhed, p. 195, Scfeq. has given a long differtation concerning 

 the Swallows place of habitation in the Winter : he has inferted 

 feveral well-attefted accounts, that perfons have found them at 

 that feafon in the water, which does not want confirmation in 

 this country ; for almoft every body knows that towards the 

 Winter, after they have chirped about a little, or, as we fay, 

 fung their Swallow-fong, they fly in flocks together, and plunge 

 themfelves down in frefh-water lakes, and commonly amongft 

 reeds and bufhes ; whence, in the Spring, they come forth again, 

 and take poffeffion of their former dwellings. Our fifhermen in 



* The fcarcity of this Bird in Norway, one may fay is, like the reft of God's works, 

 wifely contrived ; for this country has lefs occafion for them than others, and they 

 would find lefs to live upon, becaufe here, as has been faid before, are fewer Snakes 

 and poifonous creatures. This reafon is jufter than Dr. Owen's jeft of the Stork's 

 averfion to thofe cities or towns in Germany where they do not pay the clergy their 

 tenths : II rapporte, que les cigognes font favorables au clerge, car elles ne veulent point 

 fejourner dans aucune ville d'Allemagne, ou Ton ne paye point de dimes aux Ecclefi- 

 aftiques. Biblioth. Britan. Tom. xix. p. 180. 



the 



