On the subject of birds, especially, Capt. Kennedy has a good deal to say, and moreover, more accurately. Indeed, we should be surprised if this were not the case, for we do not forget his acceptable contribution to the Ornithology of Berks and Bucks, which was favourably noticed in the pages of this journal ten years since, and which brought so much credit to the author, then an "Eton boy" of sixteen.
To give the reader some idea of the author's style, we may quote a few paragraphs from the book before us:—
"The height to which wood grows in Norway is certainly great compared with Scotland, as the following particulars will show. The Scotch fir grows on the mountains of Norway to the great height of 2870 feet above the level of the sea, whilst the common birch exists to the altitude of 3300 feet, and the juniper and many smaller shrubs flourish at even a greater height, where grow also quantities of beautiful flowers aud mosses. Oak and beech is very seldom seen in Norway ; but the poplar, willows of various kinds, and the beautiful mountain ash are met with almost everywhere, excepting in the extreme north, where the only woods of any extent are of Scotch fir." (P. 86.)
"For the botanist, I can imagine no more charming quarters than Kongsvold at which to stay, while he searches the Dovre-fjeld for specimens of flowers. Some of the rarest wild flowers in Norway are to be found in the neighbouring mountains, aud weeks might be pleasantly and profitably spent in examiuing the plant-life of this wild region. It is stated that one of the first Norwegian botanists, the late Professor Blyth, discovered in his rambles over the Dovre-fjeld no less than 440 plants and ferns, 200 mosses, 150 lichens, and some 50 species of Alga, which list ought to be a sufficient attraction to the botanist to linger here awhile." (P. 122.)
Off the Loffoden Isles on June 26th:—
flocks of little ducks and gulls just out of the shell were following their parents among the tumbling waves. Skua gulls were there, too, in con- siderable abundance, aud robbers as they are, these birds made a capital thing of it as they pursued the other species of gulls after their successful fishing, and, dashing at them with loud cries, caused them to disgorge whatever they had caught at once, which the Skua picked up before it even reached the water. Large shoals of mackerel were sporting on our starboard-bow; and the fat bodies of their pursuing enemies, the porpoises,
were now and then seen rolling over aud over in the surf. More than one