PETCHORA 319 



three Pipits (?) These last are rather smaller than the Ked- 

 throated Pipit (and are the same which we shot in trees), 

 but come very near to them, though they want the red 

 throat and breast of the latter. We have jotted down 

 measurements and comparisons with true typical A. cer- 

 vinus, A. 2^f'<^ii6nsis, and A. trivialis, but await the 

 examination of a larger series of each before forming a 

 definite opinion.* 



A Wheatear, 3 , was seen to perch on the top of a 

 high pine. 



May 23. 



On Sunday, the 23rd of May, our new arrivals w^ere the 

 Short-eared Owl and the Bluethroat. 



At a.m. this morning M. Znaminsky took us to the 

 place w^here he shot the birds yesterday— a marshy bit of 

 ground covered with hummocks and overgrown with 

 small pine and birch and brushwood of juniper, and 

 dwarf rhododendron — Sedum — skirted by low willow and 

 alder. 



Here we found the Bluethroat not uncommon, getting 

 three males. They were shy and rather difficult to find, 

 and kept always flying on ahead of us. The opener parts 

 of the wood appear to be suitable places for them to 

 breed in. The first part of their song was a churring 

 note something like a Whitethroat's, but not so loud, 

 and the continuation reminded one of the song of the 

 Tree Pipit. 



Willow Warblers were common and in song, and were 

 also rather wild, generally perching on the top of a small 

 pine or bare tree. 



A Short-eared Owl, searching for his breakfast, was 



••■■ Jerdon (Vol. II. part 1, p. 190) describes PhijUoscojnis tristis as 

 follows: — Length, 5 in.; extent, 7 in.; wing, 2^ in.; tail, 2 in., 

 tarsus ^ in. ; biU at front, nearly 9 mill. 



Description : Above uniform dull brown, below albescent, with a 



