Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Animal Life, by James A. Grieg
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ordinary years, even in its home, verv little is to be seen of it;
but in certain years there is a very large production, so that the
mountains become over-populated, whereupon the great body of
lemmings set out to find more favourable conditions of life. During
their wanderings, they fall a prey to numerous enemies or to
disease, and none of them return to the mountains. In years of
unusually large migration, they sometimes overrun the lowlands,
and do a considerable amount of damage to the crops.
The beaver was formerly found over the whole country, but
is now confined to the Kristiansand diocese. The number may be
computed at about 100 animals. The largest stock of beavers is
found in the Nisser River.
The hare of Norway is the mountain hare (Lepus timidus),
which turns white in the winter. It is found all over the country.
In Jæderen and Lister, there is a variety that only turns partially
white in the winter, thus being less conspicuous against the bare
ground in these districts.
The ruminants are represented by only 3 species, the red deer,
the elk and the reindeer. The red deer is a true coast animal,
found along the west coast from Ryfylke up to Namdal. The
number of this animal is computed at about 1200 animals, half
of which are found on Hitteren. Compared with the red deer of
Central Europe, the Norwegian one is not very large, nor has it
such large antlers, 12 points being rare with us. The elk, the
largest land mammal in Europe, has its home in the large pine
forests in the east, and northwards as far as Vefsen. Their number,
which has been on the decrease of late years, is computed at about
4000. In Namdalen, which is just now one of the best elk districts,
animals with 28 points have been shot. The wild reindeer has
two fields of distribution, the mountains of the south, and west
Finmarken. It is seriously on the decrease, owing to indiscriminate
hunting. Tame reindeer are kept especially in Finmarken and
Tromsø, but in the south, too, herds of tame reindeer are
becoming more numerous, as it is the best manner of utilising the
great mountain wastes that lie too high for general pasture.
On the coasts of Norway large numbers of dolphins
(Delphinus acutus and albirostris) are often caught, as well as pilot
whales (Globicephalus melas) and grampuses (Orca gladiator), those
robbers of the sea, that are more rapacious than sharks.
Occasionally the porpoise (Phocæna cummunis) is shot. In Finmarken,
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