284 Mr. G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton on 



shakiug the moisture from its pinions, bear its booty 

 aloft. 



Very conspicuous were the great Pallas^s Sca-Eagles, 

 Thalassa'ctus pelugicus, of which a pair or two at least 

 frequent the larger trees about Avaeha Bay. Their powerful 

 lemon-yellow bills and white shoulders make them easily 

 recognizable at a distance. Once I saw an Osprcy strike at 

 an Eagle in the air, and the clumsily-flying king of birds 

 seemed quite unable to retaliate while on the wing. 



We saw no Owls among the woods, but Mr. Jacobleff 

 procured me a specimen of Tengmalm's Owl, Surnia ulula, 

 which seems to be identical with examples of the same 

 species found in Europe. 



In 1897 we stayed more in the immediate neighbourhood of 

 Petropavlovsk. Among the liills behind the town birds were 

 not numerous, and the few Warblers whicli were shot were 

 unfortunately not preserved. The shooting-parties were not 

 at all successful, those who went in pursuit of Duck being 

 especially unfortunate. Others who took their way inland 

 a bit secured a few of the fine Kamchatkan Cajjercaillie ; 

 and Willow-Grouse were also obtained on several occasions 

 within walking-distance of the town. 



But good sport was not to be obtained at Petropavlovsk in 

 the summer months. For reindeer and bighorn a journey 

 of two or three days into the mountains was said to be 

 necessary, while the bears were inaccessible in the thick 

 undergrowth. As a general rule, in Kamchatka a sportsman 

 must not expect to get much i-eturn for his trouble, except 

 in spring or autumn. In summer the mosquitoes are 

 rampant, and the thick undergrowth serves the double 

 purpose of effectually ccjucealing the game and of obstructing 

 their pursuer, while in winter the snow lies so thickly that 

 the bears at all events are safely asleep beneath its sheltering 

 mantle. 



Of other birds Crows were common, and three Magpies 

 were seen at the town on August 31st. Among the scrub 

 and woods, Nutcrackei's were seen on more than one 

 occasion, flying with the peculiar soft. Crow-like flight of the 



