273 



abundantly on the sea-coast, from the Trondhjemsfjord to Stavan- 

 ger. A few are found wintering as far north as the Trond- 

 hjemsfjord. 



A pair were hatched in the summer of 1872 at Sjodalen, on 

 the Gudbrandsdal fells, 2—3000 feet above the sea-level, and 

 distant about 30 Norwegian miles from the West Coast (recorded 

 by Mr. Barth). 



Rall us aquaticus, Lin. 



An indi vidual belonging to this species, which till then had not 

 been met with north of the Trondhjemsfjord, was caught alive on 

 the shore of the Ranenfjord (66° 10'), in Nordland, by Heltzen, who 

 has described it in his MS. for 1842. 



Some years the species occurs not infrequently along the South- 

 west coast. Near Bergen, for instance, it was abundant even in 

 1869, and several individuals were shot in the course of the winter. 

 Indeed, this bird is observed as often in winter as in summer, 

 which arises from its shy habits. 



Ortygometra crex, Lin. 



In 1871 I observed this species in considerable numbers on 

 the borders of Helgeland; it is however found up to the Polar Circle, in 

 Saltdalen for instance, though it does not occur annually (recorded 

 by Mr. Berbom). Docent Holmgren, who met with it near Tromsø 

 (69° 40') in the summer of 1868, 1 is the only person known to 

 have observed the species north of Lofoten; the inhabitants them- 

 selves know nothing of the bird. 



In 1870, as late as the beginning of September, a nest of 

 12 eggs was found on Jæderen, near Stavanger (Friele). 



On the fell-sides, this species is not found breeding even in 

 the sub-alpine region ; but in the autumn • months, single pairs 

 appear to undertake peregrinations to some of the loftiest fells. 

 Last summer (1872), for instance, this bird was shot in the wil- 

 low-belt on the fells of Gudbrandsdalen and Østerdalen (3—4000 

 feet above the level of the sea). 



1 Vide „Handbok i Zoologie," II. p. 894. 



Vidensk.-Selsk. Forh. 1872. 18 



