178 Memoir of the late John Wolley. 



that, embarking on the river Tornea, he followed its course across 

 the Arctic circle, until its junction at Kengis with the Muonio, 

 continuing along the latter stream as far as Muonioniska, — his 

 intention being to reach Jerisjarvi, a large lake recommended to 

 him at Stockholm as an advantageous locahty for his operations. 

 He found, however, that the more immediate neighbourhood of 

 Muonioniska offered greater facilities, and here accordingly he 

 passed the short polar summer, working incessantly, often for 

 more than twenty-four consecutive hours, in the vast marshes 

 near it, until he had completely exhausted the powers of his two 

 interpreters and his troop of beaters. At the end of July he re- 

 traced his steps, intending to return at once to England, but on 

 arriving at Haparanda he found letters which made him resolve 

 to pass the winter in Lapland, and accordingly, dismissing his 

 companions, and entrusting to one of them the spoils of the cam- 

 paign to be sent to some friends at home, he again ascended the 

 river and took up his quarters at Muoniovara, the house of a 

 trader, opposite the Russian village of Muonioniska. 



During the winter he occupied himself partly in pursuit of the 

 scanty stock of game which the dense surrounding forests afforded, 

 and in unsuccessful attempts at bear-hunting, but more parti- 

 cularly in visiting every house within a radius of many miles, 

 inquiring of the inhabitants respecting the birds of the district, 

 and engaging their services for the ensuing spring. Meanwhile 

 his boxes of eggs arrived in England, and the reception by the 

 public of a small portion of them, submitted to sale by the late 

 Mr. J. C. Stevens, was very encouraging to his future labours ; — 

 genuine eggs of the Jack Snipe, Broad-billed Sandpiper, and 

 other birds it had never previously been in the power of British, 

 or probably of foreign collectors to procure. Towards the spring 

 he crossed the Kjolen mountains with reindeer into Norway, 

 and proceeded by sea from Tromsoe to Hammerfest, whence in a 

 short time he returned with the last snow to his head-quarters 

 by way of Kautokeino, near which place he successfully scaled 

 a dangerous rock for a nest of the Gyrfalcon. Arrived at Muo- 

 nioniska, he soon afterwards had the opportunities of taking the 

 eggs of the Crane, which he has so vividly described in these 

 pages (Ibis, 1859, p. 191), and a few days more saw him again 



