Dr. O. Finscli's Ornitholoykal Letters. G5 



sliy^ difficult to secure without the assistance of a good dog. 

 Tetrao tetrix and T. urogallus, the Gluchar of the Russians^ 

 was sometimes observed, the former in large flocks of thirty 

 and more. T. urogallus I once met in the woods, sitting very 

 close to me on a dead tree ; but I could not bring the bird down, 

 being provided only with dust-shot. Hazel-Grouse hunting 

 once brought us into great difficulty, as both Dr. Brehm and 

 Count Zeil missed their way out of a wood, and on night 

 overtaking them were obliged to remain where they were 

 till the morning, when I, with as many Ostiaks as I could 

 get together, went in search of them, and fortunately came 

 up with them in a short time. Of Thrushes we found Turdus 

 pilaris the most common species, but far less plentiful than 

 in Lapland ; T. musicus, T. iliacus, and T. atrogularis were 

 rare ; once I met a pair of T. ruficoUis and shot one. Frin- 

 gilla linaria and F. montifringilla we did not observe after the 

 24th of September, when we were amongst the willow-woods 

 of the left bank. Even Motacilla alba had disappeared, An- 

 thus pratensis was only seen sparingly, no A. cervinus ; but 

 Otocorys alpestris appeared in large flocks. The most inter- 

 esting small bird was one I observed a few times from the 

 19th to the 21st of September; it was a Sylviine bird, resem- 

 bling much in manners our Redthroat, but having the call- 

 note of our Ruticilla phoenicurus. This note I had heard not 

 unfrequently when we were going down the river ; but now 

 for the first time I caught sight of the songster^ sitting on a 

 low elder bush, and reminding me of the female of Lusciola 

 suecica. On shooting the bird it proved to be the Sylvia cy- 

 anura of Pallas. I only once saw the male in its elegant garb. 

 All the birds we shot during the last half of August, and until 

 after the middle of September, were moulting. After about 

 the 22nd of September we did not observe any more Phyl- 

 loscojms trochilus or P. tristis, or Anthus cervinus. Geese 

 and Ducks became scarcer as we ascended the river, although 

 large flocks of Geese were still seen as late as the 25tli of 

 September, but sparingly, and not every day as during the 

 first fortnight of September. No Cormorant was seen along 

 the whole length of the Ob river ! Gulls are always present. 



SEll. IV. VOL. I. r 



