402 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



Duck's downs which have troubled us so sorely. It is all 

 clear now. We have eggs of nine species of Duck, and 

 the down — Seebohm says — is quite easily separable. 

 Later I will add descriptions of these downs. The 

 Ducks are Pintail, Wigeon, Teal, Shoveller, Scaup, 

 Long-tailed Duck, Black Scoter, Smew, and Goldeneye. 



Julij 6. 



In the afternoon of Tuesday, the 6th of July, we went 

 down to Stanavoialachta with the steamer, principally in 

 order to trace, if possible, the head or bill or skin of the 

 Swan which was shot or trapped on the nest, with the 

 small-sized eggs of which we bought from the fisherman 

 on the '29th of June (p. 392). 



Fortunately on our arrival there some fishermen told us 

 where they could be found, and while Seebohm lauded at 

 Stanavoialachta to shoot, I went along the shore with 

 our two Feodors, and found the boat and men fishing 

 about 2 versts south of Stanavoialachta (Engel calls it 

 Lachka for shortness). They told us that the Swan's 

 skin had ' marsheered ' to Mikitza, 5 versts beyond 

 Kuja. 



We hope now to get the head, and ' Malenkai Feodor ' 

 (our clever, sharp, active little Feodor) will be entrusted 

 with the job. With a little training, Feodor Feodoro- 

 vitch would make a good head collector, and Piottuch 

 has already planned his teaching and engagement. But 

 Piottuch 's ' school ' is, unfortunately, not the most desir- 

 able one to learn in. If Mr. Wolley were living, and had 

 the training up of Feodor, he would soon make him a 

 ' good man.' 



Walking back over the tundra I shot a Dotterel, and 

 soon after met Seebohm. 



I saw two Peregrines, 3 and $ , at the second eyrie 

 from which I shot the male before on the 27th of June. 



