90 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



twigged it. I killed it with the first barrel — a ? Long- 

 tailed Duck. We searched in vain for the nest. Ole 

 saw the Drake fly off near where I shot the female. 



We went about three miles further down the lake, 

 and there saw three or four pairs of Scoters. I killed 

 three birds — one pair right and left — and Ole and 

 Alston another. The Scoters were flying as many as 

 four together, but did not appear to be breeding, nor 

 could we find any nests, having doubtless been fore- 

 stalled by the people from the surrounding Soeters, who 

 gather the eggs for eating. A pair of Divers were also 

 upon the lake. Also on a large island, on a gravelly 

 point, I killed a Eing Dotterel, but we searched in vain 

 for the nest. 



The man and two boys seemed well pleased with the 

 payment we gave them — two and a half marks altogether. 

 The boys got half a mark each, and were very anxious to 

 get it changed. They are to look for more nests. 



July 10. 



Monday, the 10th of July, was a wet, windy, nasty day 

 of rain, and as we had plenty of birds to skin, we made a 

 day of it in the house. We skinned the three Scoters, all 

 females, the ? Long-tailed Duck, and one Black-headed 

 Wagtail, and we blew the Scoter's eggs, but found we 

 could not make omelette or pancake of them. Ole 

 skinned one of the Scoters, and did it very well indeed, 

 though it was a bloody specimen. 



Trond returned from Thune, bringing coffee, eggs, 

 bread, etc., and letters. He brought word that there are 

 no eggs or birds from Nystuen, but a letter to Ole 

 from his cousin at Maristuen saying that old Lars 

 Eraker had two more nests, one of four eggs, and one of 

 four young birds, of Bough-legged Buzzards. These he 

 will bring to Thune any day, so Ole has written, as he 



