290 
WILD NORWAY. 
continues reproducing all the summer, a single nest 
containing young in every stage from fresh eggs to 
half-fledged owlets—the latter, of course, saving the 
parents the labour of further incubation. This is pre¬ 
cisely analogous to the case of the short-eared owls at 
home, which, during the “ vole-plague ” in 1892 and 
1893 on the Border moors, were observed to have as 
many as fourteen eggs and young owls, all mixed, in 
one nest! 
The Eagle-Owl, nesting lower (just within the timber- 
line), appears to lay about one week earlier, selecting 
the hollow of the largest and giiarliest old tree that 
grows within its range. Eggs, four. 
Of the small forest-owls, my experience is confined 
to the autumn, but their nesting-dates may be given 
thus : Hawk-Owl, in Namdalen, before middle of April, 
young fledged by June; in Lapland, before end of 
April. Tengmalm’s-Owl, in Namdalen, mid-April: a week 
earlier in the south. In Finmark and Lapland, 1st 
May. Least Sparrow-Owl : Wheelwright records catch¬ 
ing fledged young on July 12th, which makes date of 
laying before June 1st. 
Great Grey Shrike : In Lapland, A. found a nest of 
seven eggs, hard-sat, on June 13th; but Wheelwright 
records one just a month earlier near Quickjock 
(Sweden). 
Pine-Grosbeak : On the Tana, Lapland, my brother 
found three nests between June 12th and 23rd, contain¬ 
ing two to four eggs. The species had not previously 
been observed beyond the northern limit of the pine. 
Hawfinch: Recorded by Prof. Collett near Christiania 
in winter. We have not met with it. 
