WILD-LIFE IN FOREST AND FJELD. 
299 
Buffon’s Skua—high Lapland fjelds, early June. 
Richardson’s Skua—nests on every gull-frequented 
islet and near the tern-colonies along the whole length 
of coast, laying its three eggs about mid-June. 
Pomatorhine Skua—common in, Lofoten in summer. 
Petrels, Shearwaters—we have not found breeding 
on the Norway coast, though both are seen at sea. 
Gannet—follows the herrings, but does not breed. 
Of the sea-birds and rock-fowl I need give no details, 
these differing but little from those of our own coasts. 
The enormous aggregations that cover the “ bird-rocks ” 
of the north are well-known. Some of these colonies 
consist chiefly of Gulls, Kittiwakes, etc., others of Guille¬ 
mots, Puffins, Cormorants, and the like. Up to the North 
Cape the Common Gull has eggs in May, the Terns laying 
about a fortnight later. The Great Blackbacked and 
Herring-Gulls commence laying on the islets of the 
Skjsergaard about May 1st—the Lesser Blackback and 
Kitti wake not till a month later. 
A noteworthy instance of protective colouration was 
observed by my brother A. in relation to the Arctic 
Tern. A few were already, on June 14th, nesting on 
some hill-lochs above the Pulmak river in Lapland. 
One clutch of eggs (reached by walking across the ice) 
were of the usual greenish type. These were laid on 
reindeer-moss. Two other eggs, lying close by on a 
tussock of rich red moss, were of bright ruddy hue, 
as handsome as the finest merlin’s eggs. 
I conclude this chapter with a brief list of some few 
of the commoner fjeld plants and flowers, just such as 
would attract the non-botanical passer-by in his rambles 
over mountain and moor. 
