$6
Skr'abe.
Skue,
Snee.fngl.
Sneppe.
N A T U R A L Hl S T O R Y oF N Ö M W A T.»:
The Skrabe is a middle-fized Sea-bird ; fo called,- became it
fcrapes or digs itfelf a hole down in the ground, or in. ^foVei
and fand betwixt the ftones, to niake its heft like-the Pope or
Arftick Dttck. It lies there, npt 9s other Birds' on itakhlly,
but on its back; Luca^ I>ebes gives an account, p. 13 3 * that
on Farroe, where this kind are’ ftioft freqüfent, thé people eat
their young ones, of which they have1 ahjruklly But opfe, fond
fay that it is fatter than a fèdÓoöfe-; .'^hM^.¥ff^-|ho^^Öark.-
able, hecaufe it" is fed by the Mother only at nights, and !does
not fee her all day. Any thing further I do not1 knony óffofffs
Bird; m
The ^Skue, or Black Diver," is |ih make knd fórm'lik^S®r®
Gull, and ’tis coal-black' like^a Ravep. It Jives in the mannerll
has been faid of the Jo-fuglen; not by fifhing fqr it, for ‘fie'.'js
notable to dive ; but by robbing bthef Birds df 'Wh’^t ” theyfofove
caught: he purities them one after Mother, -Seafo tlpm ^ith
his wings, and does not
have got, and he catchesjt in the fall,; how they;manage with
their young I have not been able toneatfi; bnt..glj^igrëélëbat
they are very fierce when any one approaches .their neft, and'aife
not afraid to lay hold with their beak, and?myie. h^rd bBwf '^ith
their wings. The fowlers; therefore are forced td makte ufe 'tif
knives fometimes to defend themfelves, againft which tHe Birds
fly, and are killed. • li . •
The Snee-fugl, or Wintter-fugl, the 'Snow-bird, fo ' ‘tailed
becaufe they appear at the fetter end. of '-thé' Wintèr^or fogjèiïift
the Spring, when there Is much fnow, and are‘not feen\£:ny .more
flying about when the Summer advances; they are always in
the country. They live in the cracks of the higheft Jocks; aridffeed
upon worms, flies, and ipf^&s. The formior;this BirdIfeTiklfa
large Gull, or fomèthing larger ; ’tis black and white; the hen
is more inclinable tp grey, the head is large and round.
The Sneppe, or Snipe,; called' alfe Scalopax, LangfhabeT, on
account of his long beak;,, &bf;a middling uze, as big.Ugairtasfo
Chaffinch, and excellent to; esp wjien it is fat : feme call .them
Myr-Snepper, becaufe they live in modes and on heaths. Thefe
are brown, apd havé a little black on the back. The Wood-
Snipe is much of the feme kind, but is reckoned better for
food, and wholefcmer. The Strand-Snipe is the leaft; ’tis of a
light colour, and almnft like a Gull; it lives on fhell-fifh,
worms, and final! fifik along the coaft. Each of thefe kinds may
be divided again into three or fourforts, but the difference is but
finall, and what I am nót enough acquainted with. The Snipe
N A T U R A L H I S T O R Y of N O R W A T. W
is a Bird of paffage; it comes in the Spring; land goes: away
the Winter.
t .'\ v i ;
TheSblfcrt, or Miffel-Bird , isca; final! Bbd, femethfiig like a sgfp«.
Thrulh or Starling, and is of' that|fpeciesj : it is reckoned delicate
food, like the reft of that kind; they <§iffinguiffi themfelves
by finging on Summer evenings till midnight.:
The Spette, Træe-pikker, orÆrâte-hakker, d^;Woöd*-peck^y^tt4 ;;
is aimdd!e;fized Bird ^nuai&^:^iöÉK>;:*ifiih;a;yw?yr ftrong beak,
and in it a iong ^Sfid' pointed tongue, bf a peculiar lhape; itnb
end of which is hard, aid like horn.; .the beak is <fe (harp-and •
fitting, that the Wood-pecker can bore a Very deep hole w ithitin
a tree. n;'Tbey build their nefts in htélow trees ; ^tbéif .fefefc have
four long toes, of which two'ftând forward, and '*thê other two
quite backward ; theydivechfeflyi upon worms, arid' ihi*
that'they find-under the bark of ftrebsjutliey hunt them
about, and kill them with their long lharp-poirtted fongike; with
which they can exaéüy hit the finalleft prey. -There are many
forts of Wood-peckers, differing oöly-’ih colours ; :as. :tb© green,
the blsick, and the yellow! Woód^pe^er ;’ : the W e firfc haVéî têd
caps as heikete oh th^r heads.-' pt : " Vv; :v:; :
J The Spove, ör;Gódwit, is a Land-bird of that kind, 'that fie- s^ove.
querit the fca-coaft without goingdnto' -the water. They watch
along the Ihore to catch the Ihell-filh and Other finall fifties that
are driven up* ’I t , ism middie-fized Bird; almbft like aPartridgex; ,
brown and grey, fpeckled under the breaft, and has dong legs
for a Bird‘o f its; fize; thefe ate -:Mte : alfe a vèry
long and crooked bill, longer than the Snipe’s .! 'They build
their neft in the open country; not fat from the lea, and lay
three darkilh eggs, about the fizéôf a hen’s;' whlchKthh male
and female fit on alternately for 1 4 days.' They 0tneih:tfeè
Spring and go away in Autumn;' tho’ late, when- the firft fnow
falls.
- ; The Spurre, ■ the Sparrow; Is - béte, as ■ in1 *othèr places, spmn.
common than the former cotild wilh. The sgtey Spûrfet; ywbfeh
Ufually keeps near tfe6 houfesy are called here Huus-kseld : thé
yellow and greenifli fort lives moftly in th^ woods *. The
white :Spurrer, tof which Aldrovandus,- in Omitholog. Lib. xv.
c. xö. fpeaks, are alfe found here in the Winter in feme placés,
* À perfon óf judgment aijcires
and that they aré leen in great numbers iii the Winter -, tnfeyLare ’called ih'tïeïrfiany
Emmerlnig, ^and build their fe‘ femJ bBï}iës:.'
' Part II. C c tho’