362 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



showed a large hatching-spot. A White Wagtail's nest 

 with five eggs was found in a hollow stump about a foot 

 above the ground, which latter had lately been flooded. 

 Ringed Plover and Temminck's Stint were shot. 



We seem now to have left the large wood behind, and 

 to be saiHng amongst low islands covered with alder and 

 willow. All day we seldom or never were within sight of 

 the fast land on either side. 



The bird life in these thickets seems principally to 

 consist of Redpolls, Sedge Warblers (not very common). 

 Blue-headed Wagtails (scarce), Yellow-headed Wagtails 

 (a pair or two frequenting each open patch of ground 

 near the villages or single houses), Terek Sandpipers, 

 Wigeon, a few black Scoters, Pintails, AVhite Wagtails 

 (usually near houses). Fieldfares, Redwings, AVillow (?)- 

 Warblers, Lesser Spotted and Three-toed Woodpeckers, 

 a few Bramblings, Common and Herring Gulls, Arctic 

 Terns, Oystercatchers, Common Sandpipers (nowhere 

 abundant). Swallows (two seen at Abramoff), Wood 

 Sandpipers (scarce), Little Buntings, Ringed Plover, 

 Temminck's Stints, Reed Buntings, Ravens (two young 

 seen at Abramoff), Hooded Crows, a Magpie, a fine 

 Sea or White-tailed Eagle, Short-eared Owls, Tree 

 Sparrows (shot at Chuvinski), Scaup Ducks (not seen 

 plentifully except at the one place before mentioned), 

 and Swans. 



The Sedge Warblers were seen to rise in the air and 

 hover like Bluethroats, singing at the same time. 



At Abramoff eggs of the Common Gull and White 

 Wagtails were brought to us. 



Our next stopping-place was at Stuchia for tea. Here 

 again we found the Yellow-headed AVagtail, and shot two 

 females and a male. The female was again sitting in the 

 same position we have already described, and which we 

 have not observed in the Blue-headed species. They 



