72 Mr. J. VYolley on the Ri-eeding of the Smew. 



any way ; and on the lid being opened, there first appeared a 

 well-written Finnish letter, of parts of which the following is 

 an exact translation : — 



" Matthias Lakso of Made-koski-kyla, on the Kitinen-joki, 

 five miles (Swedish) from Sodankyla, has found on the Liesi-joki 

 eggs of Uinilo, and has brought to me three eggs, on which is 

 written a number like this." [Here follows a facsimile of the 

 figure 1 on the eggs. It appears from Hermelin's map, that the 

 Kitinen-joki, of which the Liesi is doubtless a tributary, runs 

 into the Kemi-joki a little north of Sodankyla.] " They were 

 found on the 8th day of the Summer-month (June) 1857. Of 

 an old birch trunk the wood was rotted away, and it was left 

 hollow, forming a hole in which they were." [The expression 

 used involves the idea of the trunk being still standing.] '^ There 

 were two men in company, and the other man has given four 

 eggs to the priest : there were seven of them ; but there was no 

 down brought. * * * * The Uinilo was also killed, and with 

 the eggs it too is sent. — Carl Leppajervi. First day of the Hay- 

 month (July) 1857. And the priest will send the four Uinilo's 

 eggs, if you send him four eggs of Kuukili " {Garrulus infausttis). 

 " This Uinilo was taken to the priest, and he wants for it 20 

 copecks." 



The next, or probably the first thing in the box that struck 

 my eye, was a stiff-necked skin of a female Smew, with hatching 

 spots on its under side ; then I came to five or six much- 

 injured eggs of Greenshank and other birds ; and lastly, at the 

 bottom of all, well-wrapped in tow, were the three Smew's, 

 blown each with two holes, which I afterwards found it safe to 

 round off with a drill. The eggs rather staggered me at first 

 sight, they were so like Wigcon's. Fi'om time to time I held 

 consultations over them. On comparing them with a series of 

 something like fifty VVigeon's eggs, I found that they were pretty 

 nearly of the same size, though rather below the aveiage. They 

 were flattened at the small end more than any of the Wigeon's, 

 and they had less of the yellowish tinge about them, so that 

 persons not much used to eggs could pick them out of the lot ; 

 but all these ])cculiarities might be accidental, though it seemed 

 remarkable that any woodsman trying to pass off Wigeon's eggs 



