84 On the Birds of the Upper Muonio River. 



Totanus fuscus. Spotted Redshank. 



The breeding-range of this species does not appear to 

 extend far above the limit of the fir-region. We found none 

 in the upper parts of the district, but about Ainettivaara it 

 was numerous in the bogs. John Wolley found it nesting 

 away from the marshes, but we found it always in them. In 

 one case I flushed a male from the nest, and a Finn who 

 was with me once knocked down a male as it swooped near 

 him with its breast almost denuded of feathers. This seems 

 to point to the fact that the male commonly incubates. The 

 birds are very wary and when disturbed at their feeding- 

 grounds behave exactly as if they had eggs. Hence it is 

 impossible to tell the whereabouts of the nest from their 

 actions, and it is only to be found by stumbling on it. It 

 is a mere scrape in a hummock on a cloudberry-bog. The 

 first eggs were found on the 9th of June. 



Totanus canescens. Greenshank. 



This species is very common and is one of the characteristic 

 birds of the Lapland summer, its cry " vikla-vikla-vikla " 

 (whence the Finnish name u Vikla") being heard day and 

 night. As in the case of the preceding species, the nest is 

 to be found only by luck, and in this case the difficulty is 

 accentuated by the fact that the Greenshank does not breed 

 on the lower grounds but on the birch-clad hills. It 

 arrived on the 23rd of May, the first eggs being found on 

 the 10th of June. 



Numenius phjEOPus. Whimbrel. 



Numerous, especially in the lower mountain-districts 

 immediately north of the fir-region. At the head of the 

 river there were none. It breeds on dry moors fairly close 

 to the river. Unless the breeding- grounds have been much 

 disturbed it is easily watched to the nest. The first eggs 

 were found on the 6th of June. 



Sterna macrura. Arctic Tern. 



Fairly common, though not so plentiful as in 1895. It 

 frequents the shallower lakes and breeds in scattered pairs on 

 the islands. It arrived on the 25th of Mav, 



