on the Murman Coast, Russian Lapland. 531 



so tame that they allowed us to approach Avithin a few yards 

 before taking wing. A nest with four eggs was found on 

 June 13th among some dwarf sallows a foot high, at a time 

 when half the island was covered with snow. 



Between the 26th and 28th we took six more clutches, all 

 obtained by watching the bird to the nest. Three of these 

 were under stones near the shore, two in tussocks of grass, 

 and one in a Puffings hole ; the three latter some distance from 

 the sea. The sixth gave considerable trouble. We had 

 noticed the birds during the day, and went up the hill about 

 10 P.M. to try for the nest. As we lay down some 80 yards 

 apart, the birds took up a position 100 yards away from both 

 of us. For twenty minutes they never moved more than a 

 yard; then they worked gradually down to a point midway 

 between us, the same bird always leading. They next turned 

 towards me, and for half an hour I sat scarcely daring to wink 

 — troubled, too, with a cough that endeavoured to assert itself. 

 Nearer and nearer by many a zigzag the leading bird 

 approached, until it was within six yards. Then an old 

 Puffin put its head up out of one of the numerous holes near, 

 regarded me steadily first with one eye and then the other, 

 and decided promptly to retire again. This shook the Turn- 

 stones^ confidence and caused a retreat. A careful search failed 

 to show the nest; but when we went up next day the sentinels 

 bird was off duty, and the other came out of a Puffin-hole 

 close to our feet. The nest was eight yards from my seat 

 of the night before, and contained three half-incubated 

 eggs, placed on some dead sorrel-stalks 18 inches inside 

 the burrow. We also saw these birds on the Ribatschi 

 peninsula. 



49. H^MATOPUS OSTRALEGUS. 



Oyster-catchers were common on Heno. One or two pairs 

 were also seen at most places where we landed. 



50. Phalaropus hyperboreus. 



We saw a number of the pretty Red-necked Phalaropes on 

 Heno and the Ribatschi peninsula. The first nests were 

 found on June 28th, some of them containing fresh eggs. 



