237 



41 -f- 13 mm, is preserved in the University Museum ; the others were 

 all males in winter plumage. I once found a young male not fully 

 coloured in the game market of Christiania Oet. 3rd 1870. 



The Rakkelhane would appear to consort in preference with black 

 game, and most individuals of which any particulars are known, 

 have been killed among birds ofthat species. It has beenrecord- 

 ed of one individual (Odalen in April 1871), that it was shot in 

 its „Spil", in a breeding-haunt of capercaillie. 



Bonasa betulina, Scop. 



Found sparingly in the northern localities of Trondhjem Stift, 

 and occursas a rare bird in Namdalen (65°). According to Heltzen, 

 'it has been observed even in some parishes of Helgeland, but 

 Mr. Berbom did not meet with it at Salten (within the Polar Circle). 



According to Mr. Pedersen, a taxidermist at Tromsø, 1 this species 

 oecurs in the valley of the Maalselv. When visiting these parts, 

 I made enquiry of the inhabitants, but they did not appear to know 

 the, bird; indeed the locality must be without the actua] limits of 

 its distribution. Heuglin too, relying on the same source, records 

 (no doubt erroneously) the occurrence of this species in East 

 Finmark. 



Lagopus albus, Gmel. 



Probably most abundant on certain of the flat islands, distin- 

 guished by a vigorous birch growth, lying to the north of the 

 Polar Circle, especially in Lofoten and along the coast of Nordland 

 and Tromsø Amts. The islands best known in this respect are 

 those of Hasselø, in Lofoten, and Karlsø, north of Tromsø, a very 

 considerable number of this species being annually killed there, 

 and apparently without effect on their increase. 



On the 14th June the males were to be seen on the „Spil" 

 in all directions among the bushes on Hasselø. On Tromsøen 

 this bird may be said to be almost domesticated; it nests in the 

 gardens of the inhabitants and in the grounds of the neighbouring 

 villas, no wise disturbed by the daily avocations going on around. 



1 Petermann „Geographische Mittheilungen" Vol. 17, p. 57; „ Journal lur Oni- 

 thologie" 187 1, Vol 19, p. 107. 



