224 Messrs. H. Sccbohm and J. A. Harvie Brown on 



bog, how soon one of the great prizes we had come so far 

 in the hopes of gaining would be within our grasp. 



After crossing over a tract of moor sloping gently inland 

 some versts from the river, and which was comparatively des- 

 titute of bird-life, raising a few Lapland Buntings and Red- 

 throated Pipits, or an occasional Willow-Grouse or Dunlin, 

 we came in view of a vast stretch of low humraocky tundra, 

 its surface studded over with bright little pools and lakelets 

 glancing in the sun. The low rounded hills be^^ond Vassil- 

 kova form the boundary-line to this great plain ; and fui'thcr 

 off a higher range, appearing blue in the distance, is to be 

 seen in the direction of Stanavoialachta, some forty versts 

 lower down the river. Dotted over the tundra, as already 

 observed, are tarns and round pools of water. These have 

 overhanging peat- or green mossy banks. Curious hollows, 

 apparently the dried-up beds of former lakes, occur also, 

 having the same peat banks or mossy edges, the bottoms 

 covered with long gi'ass, marshy ground, thickets of Willow- 

 scrub and stunted birch, and here and there a little open 

 pool of water. Over the surface of the moor, where we found 

 the birds breeding, are small patches of level black or brown 

 peat-bog, which are destitute of vegetation in the centre, but 

 covered with a species of yellowish brown Sphagnum round 

 the edges. Crossing over these the foot sank to the depth 

 of about 18 inches, and was then supported by the hard- 

 frozen ground beneath. Winding about amongst these black 

 bogs, like the network on the rind of a melon, are low narrow 

 ridges, or wider plateaux, a foot or two in height, formed by 

 innumerable hummocks of peat, covered with reindeer-moss, 

 cranberries, and patches of the green leaves and red flowers 

 of the arctic bramble [Rubus arcticus). A few plants also 

 of the sweet-smelling Ledum pahistre are scattered here and 

 there over the ground. On these higher and drier ridges 

 were the Grey Plovers^ nests — simple shallow depressions in 

 the moss or peaty soil, lined with a small handful of broken 

 twigs and leaves of the surrounding plants. This description 

 may be held generally to apply to all the places where we 

 found the Grey Plover breeding. They preferred these low- 



