194 Mr. H. J. Pearson on Birds 



the grass^ and the Snow-Buntings ran through it in all 

 directions like niice^ far too busy collecting the little wretches 

 to trouble about our watching them. 



7. Otocorys alpestris. Shore Lark. 



This species was plentiful wherever we lauded on Waigats 

 and also on Dolgoi Island. It is an early breeder, as many 

 young were flying on our arrival. Four nests were taken (with 

 five, five, three, and four eggs respectively) between June 

 30th and July 11th. Last season^s observations confirm the 

 idea that occasionally this bird breeds twice. The positions 

 of the nests were similar to those we found on Kolguev and 

 of the same materials (Ibis, 1896, p. 215). 



8. Nyctea scandiaca. Snowy Owl. 



Unfortunately these birds are large enough to form an 

 article of food, and therefore suff'er from the increase of the 

 Samoyed population ; we found their wings, &c., on the sites 

 of old camps on several occasions. Having tried before 

 without success to obtain the eggs, we were determined last 

 year to get them if possible, and never left a likely spot 

 unvisited ; but all to no purpose, no nest being found which 

 showed signs of having been used last season. The cause 

 of this was no doubt the fact it was a bad year for lemmings 

 throughout the whole of the countries visited ; we only saw 

 two lemmings in two months. In the Gubina Valley, on the 

 south side of Matotschin Scharr, were eight old nests of the 

 Snowy Owl of various ages, all placed on the tops of mounds, 

 the sides of which were full of lemming-holes — in fact, 

 homes comfortably placed over a living larder ! The interior 

 of the later nests had no lining except a quantity of jaw- 

 bones and other remains of the lemming. A dead bird of 

 this species was picked up on Dolgoi Island. 



9. Archibuteo lagopus. 



The Rough-legged Buzzard was another of the birds added 

 to the list for Waigats. We first found a pair on June 29th 

 breeding in a range of hills near Dolga Bay. The nest was 

 placed about twenty feet from the top of the cliff" and was 

 made entirely of grass ; it contained three young in down 



