158 Mr. H. Seebohm on the Ornithology of Siberia. 



CVGNUS MINOK, Pall. 



We saw the first Swan on the Koo-ray'-i-ka on the 5th of 

 May ; but it was not before the 31st of that month that Swans 

 passed over in any number. After the latter date thousands 

 passed us, all flying north. I brought several eggs of Bewick^s 

 Swan home with me, obtained in lat. 69i°. I found the 

 easiest way of identifying these birds was by measuring 

 their footprints in the sand. From the centre of the ball 

 of the heel to the centre of the ball next the claw of the 

 middle toe, the impression of the foot of Bewick^s Swan 

 measures 5^ inches, wliilst that of the common Wild Swan 

 measures upwards of 6 inches. Even in very slight impres- 

 sions on hard wet sand I found it easy to make these measure- 

 ments. 



Anser segetum, Gmel. 



The first Goose was seen at our winter quarters on the 9th 

 of May. Whenever the weather was mild during May small 

 parties of Geese flew over the ship in a northerly direction. 

 When the wind changed and brought us a couple of days' 

 frost or snow, we used to see the poor Geese migrating south- 

 wards again. The great annual battle of the Yen-e-say' 

 lasted longer than usual the year that I was there. We had 

 alternate thaws and frosts during the last three weeks of May. 

 Summer seemed to be always upon the point of vanquishing 

 winter, but only to be driven back again with redoubled 

 vigour. During all this time there must have been thousands 

 and tens of thousands of Geese hovering on the skirts of 

 winter, continually impelled northwards by their instincts, 

 penetrating wherever a little open water or an oasis of grass was 

 visible in the boundless desert of ice and snow, and continually 

 driven southwards again by hard frosts or fresh falls of snow. 

 It was not until the ice on the great river broke up that the 

 great body of Geese finally ])assed northwards. On my return 

 journey I had an opportunity of again witnessing a great 

 stampede of Geese on the tundra in full moult and unable to 

 fly. The first time I witnessed this interesting sight was near 

 the delta of the Petchora two years previously. Tlieii it was 



