16.2 ORIGINAL MK.MBKUS. 



€xteut than any he had hitherto accomplished. Not only 

 had he from his boyhood rejoiced in the thought of one day 

 visiting the land of Gyrfalcons and Capercaillies, Bears and 

 Wolves, but, of late, the very unsatisfactory nature of our 

 knowledge respecting the nidification of various birds, among 

 which were some of our commonest winter visitants, had 

 been constantly present to his mind. English oologists 

 had more than twenty years before visited Iceland and the 

 coast-region of Norway, making discoveries of remarkable 

 interest ; it was therefore but reasonable to suppose that 

 some sort of similar success would attend investigations 

 carried on in still more northern latitudes. The pages ot 

 Mr. Yarrell's work recorded the results of INfr. Dann^s visit 

 to Lapland, and moreover an acquaintance of Wolley^s had 

 only three years before made a tour in that country, and 

 brought back specimens and intelligence sufficient to excite 

 the ardour of a moderately keen naturalist. Then, again, 

 there Avas the geographical consideration that, from the 

 very configuration of the land, the country lying between the 

 Arctic Ocean and a large inland sea like the Baltic would 

 probably be found to offer to many species of birds peculiar 

 advantages as a breeding-station. All this determined him 

 upon making an expedition to the district lying at the head 

 of the Gulf of Bothnia. On the 23rd of April he left Hull 

 for Gothenburg, on his Avay to Tornea, which place he 

 intended to make his headquarters. Provided with good 

 introductions, at Stockholm he obtained valuable intelligence 

 from Prof. Retzius and the late Herr AYahlberg, who has 

 since so unfortunately met his death in South Africa, 

 and who had been not long before on a botanical tour in 

 Lapland. Having secured the assistance of a student of the 

 University to act as interpreter, Wolley started off again, 

 undeterred by the prospect of a journey of 900 miles in a 

 rough carriage, and at a season of the year when, the winter- 

 ways being broken up, and the multitude of wide rivers still 

 choked with rotten ice, travelling is deemed by the Swedes 

 all but impossible. The journey was not. hoAvever, without 

 its reward. In the course of it he discoved the Eaa-le-OwFs 



