TO RUSSIA AND BACK. II 



" Moscow ! Moscow ! " was taken up by the foremost ranks 

 and carried to the rear of his army. 



On the 13th I got a Spotted Crake, a Sclavonian Grebe, 

 and a young RufT;* and took a peep into the celebrated 

 Riding-school, 560 feet in length, supposed to be the 

 largest room in the world. Here in the winter two 

 regiments of Russian cavalry can manoeuvre at the same 

 time, when the intense cold does not permit of their going 

 through their exercises out of doors. 



I had failed in seeing the birdstuffer at St. Petersburgh, 

 M. Dode, though I made his acquaintance in London in 

 the spring of 1871, but I was more fortunate at Moscow. 

 Taxidermy is not a lucrative trade there, and I cannot say 

 much for the way in which a Dipper and a Little Gull were 

 mounted. The latter was in very complete nuptial plumage, 

 and I believe they breed near Moscow. 



On the 14th I bought a Garganey Teal and a Nyroca 

 Duck. For the latter I was charged one hundred "copeks," 

 equivalent to a " rouble " or three shillings in English money. 

 Afterwards the birdstufifer's wife came to me with the 

 following birds — White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta europcea, 

 Lin.), Jay, Golden-crested Wren, Chaffinch, Thrush, Willow 

 Wren, Crested Titmouse, Marsh Titmouse (Parus borealis), 

 and Blue Titmouse. The latter was a remarkably pale 

 light-coloured specimen, but several of the best Ornitholo- 

 gists to whom I have shown it consider it to be merely a 

 variety. 



September 15th. — A Shoveller Duck at the market, 



1 6th. — A very wet day. Picked out from among a lot 

 of other wild-fowl a nestling Nyroca Duck, not half fledged. 

 The market is a famous place for Double Snipes ; basketsful 



* In 1871, in the early part of the summer, I am informed a drove of 

 sixty old Ruffs were seen at Hickling Broad (in Norfolk), yet there 

 were only two nests, I hear, and, sad to say, the eight young birds were 

 all shot. 



