302 Messrs. H. Sccbohm and J. A. Harvie Brown o» 



a few birds, but saw no place there which appeared to be likely 

 ground for nests of the Little S tint. It was by that time late in 

 the evening of the 22nd July ; but we had nothing to fear from 

 light failing us in these latitudes ; so we continued our search. 

 Meanwhile Piottuch, and our Samoyede servant Simeon, 

 had also come out, and having crossed over the tundra to 

 near the neck of the peninsula, had sat down on the edge 

 just where the sloping tundra joins the meadow. Seebohm 

 had gone on along the S.W. shore of the inland sea; and 

 Harvie Brown was a considerable way behind, having diverged 

 in order to obtain a view of the coast-line. As the latter 

 approached, Piottuch shouted and waved his hand. We quote 

 the following from Harvie Brown^s journal : — 



"As I came nearer I saw a small bird flying in circles 

 round him (Piottuch) and Simeon, and alighting now and 

 again close to them. Seeing this I ran forward, and Piottuch 

 held out two young Little Stints, not more than a day, or at 

 most two days out of the shell. I sat down ; and ere many 

 seconds elapsed the old bird alighted within a yard or two of 

 our feet, uttering a very small, anxious, whistling note. 

 My gun lay on the ground beside me, vrithin reach of my 

 hand ; and I put down one of the young about six inches be- 

 yond it. Almost immediately the old bird advanced close up 

 to it, and, uttering its low notes, endeavoured to lead it away. 

 Piottuch then held out the the other young one in his left 

 hand, and it uttered a scarcely audible cheep. The old bird 

 advanced fearlessly to within twelve inches of his hand ; and 

 he nearly caught it. I then shouted to Seebohm to come, 

 being at the same time prepared to shoot the bird if it flew 

 away to any distance ; but no, it only flew about ten or fif- 

 teen yards, and then began to sham lameness, tumbling about 

 amongst the little hummocks and hollows, and never going 

 further from us than about thirty paces. Seebohm now came 

 up, and took his seat beside us. The old bird became a little 

 shyer, but still flew round us in circles, alighting, as before, 

 from time to time. We watched it for some little time ; and 

 then, at Seebohm's suggestion, I shot the bird, and we pro- 

 ceeded to search for more young or a nest, offering Simeon 



