observed on Waigats, &,c. 193 



5. Calcarius lapponicus. 



Lapland Buntings were somewhat local and nowhere 

 numerous on Waigats, no doubt owing to the unsuitableness 

 of the country. They were most plentiful on the west side 

 of Dolga Bay, where the tundra resembled that of Kolguev. 

 A few were seen near Cape Greben in the south of the 

 island, and a young one, fully fledged, shot on July 15th. 

 We saw twenty or thirty on Dolgoi Island during our short 

 stay. None were observed in any part of Novaya Zemlya 

 this year, but it is possible they had left before our arrival; 

 we met with them there in 1895, 



6. Plectrophenax nivalis. 



The Snow-Bunting was certainly the commonest land-bird 

 wherever we went. Several nests were in such unusual 

 positions that they may be worth recording. On July 2nd we 

 found a deserted nest, containing five eggs, placed on a flat 

 stone in the dry bed of a stream ; on the same stone were 

 the remains of an older nest. Ten yards higher up were two 

 more old nests touching each other, and evidently made in 

 successive years. The streams of Waigats become large 

 torrents when the snow melts in spring, but shrink to little 

 rivulets in summer, with broad dry beds of shingle and mud. 

 All these nests were in the centre of the shingle and totally 

 unprotected. There were plenty of crevices among the rocks 

 in the vicinity which the birds might have occupied. On 

 July 3rd we found another nest by a stream, placed on the 

 top of a detached pinnacle of mud which projected from the 

 bank. It contained two young birds ready to fly and an 

 addled egg. Within fifty yards were great screes affording 

 unlimited and well-secreted nesting-places ; therefore all 

 these positions were matters of choice, not necessity. On 

 our first landing on Waigats (June 29th) some young birds 

 were on the wing, so that few nests with eggs were taken. 

 The number of mosquitoes these birds destroy must be very 

 great ; we saw them all day long with great bunches of these 

 insects in their beaks. Fortunately for us, the weather was 

 generally cool enough to keep the mosquitoes in the shelter of 



