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64
I. PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY OF SWEDEN.
(Charadrius morinellus), and several other wading birds, the golden
eagle (Aquila chrysaëtus), the gyrfalcon (Falco gyrfalco), the European
merlin (Falco æsalon), the rough-legged buzzard (Buteo lagopus), the
white or snowy owl (Athene nyctea), the short-eared owl (Asio
braehyotus), the shore-lark (Alauda alpestris), the snow-bunting
(Plectrophanes nivalis), the Lappland bunting (Plectrophanes lapponicus),
and the ring-ouzel (Turdus torquatus), which, however, is also found
in Bohuslän.
Only a few birds can be said to be characteristic of the biroh
region which borders the alp-district; such are, the brambling (Fringilla
montifringilla), the common redpoll (Acanthis linaria), the blue-throated
warbler (Luscinia suecica), and the redwing (Turdus iliacus).
The region of the great coniferous foreBts commences on the slopes
of the mountains, below the region of the birch, extending from thence,
with insignificant interruptions, over by far the greatest part of Sweden;
eastwards to the coast-islets of the Gulf of Bothnia, southwards
through Norrland over a great portion of Svealand, and continuing,
interrupted by the large plains of Östergötland and Vestergötland,
over the highlands of Småland. We have already mentioned that the
common bear and the common wolf have their real homes in the dense
forests nearest to the alps. The same is the case with the European
lynx (Lynx lynx). These, the three greatest of our beasts of prey, have
in olden times had a much wider range than nowadays, and as recently
as 1850/60 there were wolves in Uppland and Vestergötland. To the
great coniferous forests also belong the pine marten (Mustela mårtes)
and the principal antlered denizen of the Swedish forests — the elk (Alces
alces) — which is found from the polar circle as far down as
Småland. In the forest-districts of the boreal regions we find amongst the
birds, in addition to the willow-grouse previously mentioned, the
Siberian jay (Garrulus infaustus), which latter is replaced, farther to the
south, by the common jay (Garrulus glandarius). The capercailzie or
cock of the woods (Tetrao urogallus), the hazel-grouse (Tetrastes
bonasia), the common crane (Grus cinerea), and the woodcock (Scolopax
rusticola) also belong to the dense forests. In the marshes and at the
lakes within this district, together with a number of lesser waders and
ducks, the black-throated diver (Colymbus arcticus) breeds, and farthest
northwards, the bean-goose (Anser segetum) and the golden-eye or
garrot (Clangula glaucion). Numerous birds of prey have also their
proper homes in the forests as, for example, the goshawk (Astur
palum-barius), the sparrow-hawk (Astur nisus), the common buzzard (Buteo
buteo), the honey-buzzard (Pern is apivorus), the osprey (Pandion
hali-aëtus), the eagle-owl or great owl (Bubo bubo). Amongst the small
birds which characterize the great coniferous forests, even the southern
ones, may be mentioned: the songthrush (Turdus musicus), the redbreast
(Luscinia rubecula), the siskin (Acanthis spinns), the great crossbill
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