FETCH OR A 355 



little. From the boat Piottuch shot a very fine Koiigh- 

 legged Buzzard, very Hght-coloured, with, as usual, the 

 very marked dark broad band across the belly. Isaac, the 

 dog, was running on shore, and the bird's attention was 

 so taken up with him that he allowed our boat to 

 approach to within twenty yards of where he had just 

 alighted on the top of some willow-bushes. 



At another place we stopped for a time and searched a 

 willow-covered island separated from the higher fast land 

 by a rapidly-running side-branch of the river. Looking 

 up-stream from where our boat lay, we appeared to be 

 entirely shut in by a string of islands, and we could see a 

 long narrow lane of water — the offshoot of the river with 

 the steep bank of the fast land on the right hand, and the 

 low islands on the left, covered with willows down to the 

 water edge. Here we saw numbers of Common Scoters 

 in pairs and in flocks, and Wigeon, and an Owl flew over 

 the boat, but the island was apparently destitute of bird 

 life, except a few Terek Sandpipers which we saw as we 

 floated down to the place where we lay-to. 



After floating down a few versts further the boat was 

 drawn up alongshore for the night, and we went to sleep. 



June 12. 



On Saturday, the 12th of June, the new birds seen were 

 the Common Sandpiper, Sedge Warbler, Eed-throated 

 Diver, Greyhen (Black Grouse), and Scaup. 



Waking at 6 a.m. we went out shooting. We saw 

 Common Sandpiper, and Seebohm shot a Sedge Warbler. 



Eain came on and everything had to be bundled in 

 higgledy-piggledy. Our confined cabin is as yet a scene 

 of great confusion, and with such a quantity of luggage 

 everything is — as Piottuch says — tres mal chose ; nor 

 do we, as yet, in the least see how we are to arrange for 

 the better. 



