ORNITHOLOGICAL EXPLORATIONS, 



251 



snow-fields as well as on the outmost stones of the surf-washed reef, and 

 found their snug nests both in the dampest place of the large swamp 

 and on the dry, sunny bluffs of the sand-hills or on the lichen-covered 

 slopes of the mountains. In the interior, and higher up iu the mount- 

 ains, the Snow-ammer takes his place, however. 



About its occurrence in Kamtschatka I can only say that I met a 

 single, exceedingly shy individual at the graveyard of Petropaulski 

 during the first half of October. 



They had already commenced their breeding business when I arrived 

 at the islands, iu May, 1882, and it was, in fact, the first bird of my col- 

 lection. When the autumn storms commenced, the families gathered 

 together in small flocks and left our inhospitable islands for milder 

 regions, and in the latter i^art of October only some few solitary birds 

 were seen, but these also soon disappeared. IsTot a single one remained 

 on its native island during the winter, and not before tlie 21st of April 

 did we hear the well-known chirping of the few first arrivals. It was 

 not until after the lapse of several days that the bulk of them landed, 

 and the flocks very soon dissolved into pairs eager to begin the old story 

 of love and parental happiness and sorrows. There were enough of 

 enemies bringing on the latter, among them the collector of the Kational 

 Museum. The eggs taken measure as follows: 



