229 



from 3 to 4 eggs each, almost all of which had been laid towards the 

 close of that month, a few clutches even earlier (16th April 1857, 

 16th April 1858), scarcely any later (the latest 7th May 1854). 

 F al co c ommunis, Gmel. 



In Finmark much rarer than the foregoing species, its chief 

 habitat being the coastal region and the islands adjacent. Itwould 

 seem to breed somewhat later than F. gyrfalco, a nest, containing 

 4 eggs, having been found by Wolley 1 in West Finmark 8th June 

 (1859). In East Finmark, it has been found breeding in South 

 Varanger, and near Vadsø, by Nordvi. 



Falco aesalon, Gmel. 



One of the commonest birds of prey in Finmark. It under- 

 takes at intervals excursions from the wooded districts to the 

 plains of the fells. In these northern regions it generally builds 

 on the ground, selecting some rocky acclivity. A nest thus located 

 was found onTromsøen, in June 1872; the eggs and the birds are 

 both preserved in the School Museum. 



On the southern fells the eggs are, as a rule, deposited in an 

 abandoned nest of C. cornix, the inside being partly filled up with moss 

 by the new occupants, whereby the eggs are crowded into a corner. 



It was observed on the Dovre during the summer of 1872 in 

 greater numbers than common, owing to the migration of M. lemmus. 

 Cer chneis tinnuneulus, Lin. 



North of the Trondhjemsfjord it soon becomes a rare bird, 

 and in Nordland, where, however, it has been observed in several 

 localities, it can hardly be numbered among the species of regular 

 occurrence. The vicinity of Tromsø (69° 40') is the most northerly 

 point at which it has heen found (Lilljeborg, Sep. 1849). 



In the soufrh, it not infrequently breeds on the fell-sides above 

 the forest belt. Messrs Alston and Brown found a nest on the 

 Fillefjeld, about 4000' a. I s., in the month of June 1871 ; from 

 the stomachs of the individuals killed near the nest were tåken 

 M. lemmus; in those of a pair shot near Christiania in the spring 

 1872, I found, with the exception of a Zootoca vivipara, insects only. 



1 Ootheca Wolleyana, Part I, London 1864. 



