56 Dan Meinertzhagen's Diary 



May I ^fh.— Last night I bought a sort of 

 clieese, which being very indigestible, I thought 

 would do well, since a little would go a long 

 way. We hired a boat from the house, and had 

 the most delightful row across the lake and up 

 a small stream for about five miles to Geras- 

 jarvi. I saw all manner of birds. Ducks of all 

 sorts, wild Geese, Dusky Redshanks, Green- 

 shanks, Ruffs, Sandpipers, Stints, and Whim- 

 brels. The day was very hot, and even an old 

 Raven that flew down the stream about ten feet 

 over my head was panting for breath with his 

 mouth wide open. A pair of Arctic Terns flew 

 over me in the lake and also a pair of Ospreys, 

 and I shot one of the former. I also shot a pair 

 of Willow Grouse, coming full swing down the 

 stream, which delighted the natives, for they 

 had evidently never seen a bird shot flying, and 

 they made me undo my gun, and show them 

 all its parts. I also went up to a box put 

 for Golden Eyes, and found two eggs. 



I could not help thinking that if 1 only bring 

 back some empty shells of carbonate of lime, 

 this craze for bird's eggs has brought me into 

 contact with some of the most interesting birds 

 at their most interesting time. 



On landing the further side of Gerasjiirvi, 

 we had a most tedious walk up the mountain, 



