Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 3 (1899).djvu/79

Rh headland, and the first Black Guillemot passed, flying low and fast just above the waves. Late in the afternoon we came to Aalesund. A stay of an hour and a half allowed of a hurried scramble about the grey rocky bluff behind the town. Here a Common Whitethroat was singing. Molde was reached at ten. We took advantage of the lingering twilight to run up to the fir woods. Robins were singing as we roamed through the forest, collecting plants and vainly hoping to stumble upon a Fieldfare colony. Next day, while passing the large island of Hiteren, haunt of the Red Deer, the first Eiders were sighted. At Beian, at the mouth of the Trondhjems Fjord, a White-tailed Eagle passed us, and was assaulted farther on by two Hooded Crows. Many of the latter species, with Common Gulls, were resting on the stones and posts of the breakwater as we came into Trondhjem Harbour. After visiting the cathedral there was time for a stroll through the town and suburbs. White Wagtails were feeding newly-fledged young upon the yellow-lichened roof of an old monastic building. A Willow Wren was singing, and the Spotted Flycatcher's note came from the black poplars. Magpies chattered from trees across the meadow. A Chiffchaff sang from a dingle below us, where in moisture and shade grew blue columbine, meadow cranesbill, and a wealth of ferns. A Whinchat was scolding as it carried food. Down by the shore many House and Sand Martins hawked about, with Swallows in smaller numbers. At 11 p.m. Robins were singing, and Swifts were still upon the wing. The sun was out of sight, but clouds in the north-west were still illuminated, and by midnight the short spell of twilight was fast giving place to daylight once more.

Next morning (July 10th) we left for the north in the 'Vesteraalen.' As we ran down the fjord a Richardson's Skua flapped low over the surface of the water. Just beyond Beian there were hosts of Eiders dotted about amongst the low grassy skerries. In the evening we were threading our way through the narrow sounds of Vigten, amidst a perfect archipelago of islets. Some of them were Eider-holms. One Duck, Eider, carried two young upon her back. Oystercatchers piped from the rocky strand. Upon two islands which were tenanted by Common Gulls, the glass showed several young in the down. As we passed Torghatten at eleven, sea and sky were still illumined with