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ACCOUNT OF DANISH LAPLAND BY LEEMS. 423
In fome parts of Finmark they proceed in troops, an almoft innumerable crowd ; nor do
they, fhould they, on their march, arrive at a lake or river, turn out of the way, or the
courfe they began, but committing themfelves boldly to the water, pafs directly over
the ob{trudiing lake or river; which I find too, not by experience, for I have not feen
it, but from report, is the cuftom alfo of dormice.
The knowledge, fuch as it is of the wild animals of Finmark, and the methods of taking
them, being laid down agreeably to the plan of the work, I fhall beg leave to mention with
the reader’s permiflion, that in thefe countries it does not feldom happen, that the ewes
produce twins twice a year, and the goats hot only twins, but fometimes yean three kids
at once. The he-goats ufually rut, ellewhere, about the time of St. Bartholomew, as it
is called in the kalendar; here later; about the feftival of St. Michael, they are known
to couple. Finmark produces likewife moft other wild birds, which are found elfe-
where throughout Norway. Of thefe, fome are ftationary, and fome are conftant, as
the eagle, the falcon, the hawk, the owl, the crow and raven, the ptarmigan, the cor-
morant, a peculiar kind of bird, in Norwegian called Aderfuglen, the fea crow, and many
others, which are conitant here as ellewhere. Others foreign and migrating, which
come in the beginning of {pring, to depart again in autumn, which feafons of the year
they as well know, and as accurately obferve, that men by the aid of flars and kalen-
ders fearce know them better. Among the emigrating are clafled the wild goofe, in
Norwegian Graagaa/én ; the pigeon, a bird in Norwegian called Bruus Koppen, i. e.
crefted or tufted, the fig pecker, the field ouzel. This cuftom of coming and the
migrating at a {lated feafon, is obferved not only in Finmark, but in other places
through Norway, in the faid birds.
Finmark abounds in plenty of birds, as well aquatic as terreftrial. White falcons
are feldom found. They exceed fomewhat the vulgar grey coloured in the bulk
of the body: under the belly and wings they are white, on the back grey, with
yellow feet and beak. In high and inaceflible rocks, and in clifts of quarries, they
build and hatch their young, Of the common kind of falcons of a grey colour, there
is by far the greateft number in thefe parts, who of a difpofition neither perverfe nor
intractable, were found with thofe foreigners who purchafed formerly on certain con-
ditions, the licence of catching them, from their ferene fovereigns the Kings of Den-
mark and Norway.
In the wild haunts of Finmark it has been faid, that white owls are found. This
bird, they fay, is a little larger than common owls, the feathers are white marked
with black fpots, the hinder part of the head fhort, the beak broad, brifk eyes, and
hairy feet. It is faid to build its nefts on high rocks, and there to hatch its young.
A certain birdin Lapland called Skaite, very much like that fea bird which is called
Rive, to be foon defcribed below, is to be met with on the mountains, feeking its fub-
fitence by the carrying away the eggs which other birds have by chance left in its
way.
Here too is found the greateft number of rooks, through all Norway, yet no where
more numerous to be feen than about the fhore, flying and perching in troops. The
colds of winter, that chiefly pinch this part of the world, fo fubdues them, that they
not only gather thick about the houfes, but even boldly fly into the porches and court-
yards. Whenever any fervant going to clean veflels from the kitchen, thali cait any
{courings into the fnow, they inftantly fly famifhed to: devour the fcraps, if any can be
found among the cleanfings that are thrown out. ‘The linen cloaths which in fummer
are ufually wafhed and cleanfed in the fun, unlefs carefully guarded, they tear with
their beaks under the compulfion of hunger ; nor would they {pare the {talks in eet ra
provide
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