156 



selessly and generally remained walking in the neighbourhood of 

 it. Soon after my departure it returned to the nest. 



The female, belonging to this male, was mostly found swimming 

 in the sea near the shore in the vicinity of the nest. The Phala- 

 rope swims very gracefully, nodding its head at each stroke of its 

 legs. Those beautiful birds are very tame and can easily be approa- 

 ched at a distance of four or five metres. They seek their food 

 not only in the sea, but also in the freshwater-pools of the tundra. 

 Some swampy places of the tundra were much frequented feeding 

 resorts. The Phalaropes do not always occur in equally large num- 

 bers in Spitsbergen. Le R.oi records that some investigators have 

 not met them at all. In 1921, however, they were generally distributed 

 in the Icefjord-area. I myself saw some specimens on the Anser Isles 

 (O.E.), and Dr. Wirén informed me that they were also common near 

 Cape Heer (Green Harbour) in the second half of July. In the beginning 

 of August, when they have moulted, according to Walter (1890, 

 p. 249), their number had strongly decreased near Cape Boheraan. 

 The few birds I saw in this month on the shore near Cape Bohe- 

 man were mostly young specimens. A male, shot near CapeBohe- 

 man on Aug. 14, was the last bird of this species, I saw. 



The Phalarope does not make much noise. Only when on the 

 wing it utters a short call-note. 



Numenius phaeopus phaeopus (L.), the Whimbrel. 



Numenius phoeopus L., Kolthoff (1903), p. 49. 

 ' Numenius phaeopus pihaeopus (Linn.), Schalow (1904), p. 204. 

 Numenius phaeopus (L.), le Roi (1911), p. 163. 



On June 26, at the eastern side of Tundra Boheman, I saw a 

 specimen, flying South. This species has been recorded but three 

 times previously in Spitsbergen. On Juli 31, 1881 a dead specimen 

 was found at Axel Island (Bell Sound), another was shot in August 

 1891 in "Spitsbergen" (both records cited after le Roi (1911, p. 163), 

 and a third was seen by Kolthoff at Amsterdam Island on July 

 4, 1900 (1903, p. 49). 



This palaearctic bird likes to wander, for it is often found e. g. 

 in Greenland, without breeding there, however. 



Sterna paradisaea Brunn., the Arctic Tern. 



Sterna macrura Naum., Trevor Battye Ü897), p. 591. 

 Sterna macrura Naum., Kolthoff (1903), p. 74. 



