ZOOLOGY.r— SPAllROW. 537 



thickly set, fine and valuable. The two latter species 

 being very shy, will not always approach within gun- 

 shot. From a sort of house, however, built of snow 

 on any large sheet of ice, they may be shot with 

 more certainty and in greater numbers than by any 

 other contrivance that has been adopted. A piece or 

 two of blubber or kreng being laid as a bait near the 

 hut, which has the appearance of a hummock, they 

 approach within gunshot without fear, and are fired 

 at through small loop-holes made in the hut for the 

 purpose. 



Tringa hypoleucos. Sandpiper. — Seen in con- 

 siderable flocks on the beach of Spitzbergen. 



Embeeiza nivalis. Snow-bunting. — Occurs 

 not only on the land, but also, less frequently how- 

 ever, on the ice adjacent. To some places on the 

 shore it resorts in large flocks. 



Fringilla linaria. Lesser Redpole. — On 

 our approach to Spitzbergen, several of this spe- 

 cies alighted on different parts of the ship, and 

 were so wearied apparently with being on the wing, 

 though our distance from the land was not above 

 ten miles, that they allowed themselves to be taken 

 alive. How this little creature subsists, and why 

 a bird of such apparent delicacy should resort to 

 such a barren and gelid country, are questions of 



