Dr. O. FinscVs Ornithological Letters. 61 



and the large lakes poor in animal life. Every lake was 

 inhabited by one or two pairs of Colymbus glacialis, which 

 went about with small ones^ or with a number of pairs of 

 Harelda glacialis, (Edemia nigra, or (E. fusca. Anas acuta, 

 with young, was observed on small tundra-creeks, as well 

 as A. penelope and A. crecca. The most common tundi'a- 

 birds, except Charadrius auratus, which was, with its downy 

 young, to be found on every dry elevation, and whose 

 cry was heard by day and by night, were Lestris parasitica 

 and L. pomatorhina, both splendid-looking birds, resembling 

 Falcons when on the wing. Of both species we found 

 young, which on our return were already able to fly. The 

 chief food of both species seems to be lemmings {Mijodes 

 obensis), which are plentiful. Besides these, Larus marinas 

 was seen every day, but only in pairs, as they were hatching 

 their young. On the borders of the lakes we found Tringa 

 subarquata, T. temminchii, Machetes pugnax, all of them 

 with young, as well as Gallinago media, which did not live 

 in swampy grounds, but on the open dwarf-birch tundra. Of 

 small birds Plectrophanes lapponica and P. nivalis (both with 

 fledglings) were common, so also was Anthus pratensis and 

 A. cervinus, the latter nearer to the wood-region, where i^rm- 

 gilla linaria again was to be found. Otocorys alpestris we 

 observed often. On the Podarata river we again observed 

 Motacilla alba^ Saxicola aenanthe, and Lusciola suecica (all 

 with young ones) . Of rapacious birds Falco peregrinus and 

 Buteo lagopus were often observed, and their nests, with three 

 or four young in down, found. They were built on the high 

 banks of the river, or on the bare ground of the tundra. The 

 young had to suffer very much from mosqnitos, which they 

 swallowed in large numbers. Otus brachyotus was common ; 

 but the magnificent Snowy Owl {Nyctea nivea), a most 

 splendid bird, we observed only a few times, and only one 

 was shot by Dr. Brehm. Charadrius morinellus I observed 

 only once, in small flocks, on the 7th of August, being appa- 

 rently already migrating. 



On returning to the Schtschutschja river, which we had to 

 cross twice, we found animal life increased. We found again 



