Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 1 (1897).djvu/51

Rh croaking most dismally. The Oystercatchers also got on wing calling incessantly "peep-peep."

When in the Varanger and Jar fjords I spent some time on the look-out for Steller's Eider, but never came across this duck; perhaps it was too early in the season. It is said to be not uncommon in winter in these waters.

One of the prettiest sights I have seen for many years was a flock of 150 to 200 Ruffs and Reeves in a small wet, recently cut meadow between Vadsö and the moors. A stream ran through the little enclosure fringed with arctic willow and Comarum palustre in flower. About one-third were Ruffs; these birds were excessively tame; they were running quickly, with the tibio-tarsal joints much bent, and all eagerly picking out some small object from the grass. Now and then a Ruff would raise himself to the utmost his legs and neck would permit, and look round as much as to say "What is your business here?" When the flock rose they merely circled round close to the ground, and all alighting at once resumed their search within a few yards of where I stood. It was beautiful to watch them, exhibiting as they did not the slightest fear of man. Another interesting sight was the numerous flocks of Phalarope in Vardö and Vadsö harbours; they sat on the water like small butter-bowls, each little head nodding incessantly as they paddled to and fro. They were very tame, keeping the water when only a few yards beyond the sweep of the oars of passing boats, and alighting amongst the shipping. I saw many also on the more open waters of the fjord and in rocky pools on the side of the Jarfjord, swimming very rapidly here and there and snapping at insects.

Of the smaller birds I found on the tundra north of Vadso and about the whaling station in the Jarfjord, Lapp Buntings, Bluethroats, Red-throated Pipits, White Wagtails, besides the Pipits already noticed by me in 'The Zoologist' (1896), p. 352. I saw the Hedgesparrow on the outskirts of Vadsö, great numbers of House Martins, but have no recollection of seeing any Swallow there, nor the common Sparrow. I never saw a Rook anywhere in Norway north of Bergen. The Willow Wren was common. I watched the Marsh Tit (Parus borealis) on some tall plants in the yard of the Marine Barracks at Trondhjem. This seems a very good species, if size and coloration are of any account.