In the northern mountains the ptarmigan is common ; ducks and other water-fowl frequent the lakes both here and in the south; the golden eagle, certain buzzards, owls and the small Lappland bunting are found. In the coniferous forests, grouse, capercailzie and woodcock are the principal game birds; the crane lives in marshy clearings, birds of prey are numerous and jays range over a wide area. In the midlands the partridge is fairly common and doves occur. On the coast large numbers of gulls and terns are found, also the eider-duck and the sea-eagle. There are very few reptiles or amphibians and the viper is the only poisonous species of snake. The rivers and lakes are generally well stocked with fish, such as salmon, trout, char, pike and perch, and fisheries, both fresh-water and sea, are of some consequence, though Baltic waters are less favourable to marine.species than the open waters off Norway. Cod, flatfish, mackerel and sprat are caught, but great numbers of a small herring called stromming form the most important fishing product of the Baltic. In the brackish waters of the east coast salt-water and fresh-water forms are found. The crayfish is common in many places in central and southern Sweden and when tinned forms a valuable export. Pearls are at times found in a fresh-water mussel and oysters are dredged along the western Baltic coast. Among the lower marine animals a few types of arctic origin are found, not only in the Baltic but even in Lakes Vener and Vetter, having survived the changes con sequent on the separation of the Baltic sea and Arctic ocean. Insect fauna is rich, even in the north, where very rare and bril liant butterflies are found. In summer in the northern lowlands the mosquito is sufficiently common to cause annoyance to the reindeer which it drives to the upper pastures.
The table in the next column shows the distribution of esti mated population in 1926 in the several governments (Lan). The older "province" divisions differ from the Lein, but their names remain in common use.
The previous approximate totals were: 1750, 1,780,000; 1800, 1850, 3,482,000; 1900, 5,136,000. The average annual increase was 7.86 per i,000 in the 19th century, reaching a max imum of 10.39 in 1841-60; in 1920 it had fallen to 6.9. Emigra tion, especially to the U.S.A., increased rapidly from 186o on wards with a maximum during the period 1881-90 (average 37,640 per annum). From 1921 to 1926 the total oscillated about 11,0m per annum, but reached nearly 30,00o in 1923. The immigrants are usually considerably fewer, but they exceeded the emigrants during the World War and in 1920. Men predominate among the emigrants and partly explain the unequal number of the sexes resident in Sweden. In 1920 there were 3,006,233
females and 2,898,256 males. The Swedish people belong to the Scandinavian race, but the population included (1920) about 30,00o Finns and 7,200 Lapps, living in the north. The population is as a whole homogeneous.
Population is denser in the south than in the north; in 1926 Malmohus Lan had about 269 persons per sq.m., but in Norrland there are less than II persons per sq.m. However, the increase in Norrland has been important. The annual excess of births over deaths in 1926 was 31,053 or 5.12 per thousand. The death rate was only 11.75 per 1,000 in 1926. The lowest mortality is found in the southern districts ; the highest in the northern and the east midland districts. The percentage of illegitimacy (14.9% of total births in 1926) is tending to decrease; the percentage of married persons is low. Previously, social evils were associated with intemperance. In 1775 Gustavus III. made the manufacture of spirits (brannvin) a Government monopoly, and the drinking habit was actually fostered. By 1830 some nine gallons of spirits were consumed annually per head. Mainly through the efforts of Peter Wieselgren, dean of Gothenburg (1800-77), a strong tern perance reform movement set in, and in 1855 restrictive liquor laws were passed. Municipal control of intoxicants was devised in Falun (1850) and applied to Gothenburg (1865). By 1910, prohibition had become popular but in 1922 a plebiscite was against it. Dr. Ivan Bratt's sys tem eliminates many evils of alcohol and has led to legislative control of the trade.
The Swedes probably possess the purest Teutonic blood in existence ; they are nominally light-hearted and vivacious. In the more remote parts of the country old customs are main tained and picturesque local cos tumes still worn, as in Dalecarlia (q.v.). Although the character istic celebrations at weddings or periodical festivals are somewhat decreasing in favour, there are certain occasions such as Christmas Day and Midsummer, which are observed as holidays with much ceremony. Food in the mid lands and south is plentiful and good ; in the remoter parts of the north an unfavourable summer may mean a winter of scarcity or even famine; and in these parts meat is little used. Rye was extensively employed in the rural districts for the making of a hard bread in flat cakes (knackebrod), it is now increasingly giv ing place to wheat. A formerly prevalent, but now decaying, custom among the better classes is that of beginning meals with a selec tion of such viands as anchovies, smoked salmon or slices of meat, of which a large variety of small quantities are provided (smorgiis bord). These are taken with bread and butter and a glass of spirits. Swedish national games have been revived considerably during the 2oth century. These include ski-running (skid-lopning), skating and skate-sailing, tobogganing, sledging and sailing. The Royal Swedish Yacht Club (Stockholm) is the largest in the world. Among games, lawn-tennis and football, together with the game of park, peculiar to Gottland, are played.