92 FAT-CO GYRFALCO. 



when their number was complete. It was from the upper part of a 

 river, where I tried in 1855 to snare the old bird [§ 198]. 



^ 200. Three.— W^si Einmark, 27 April, 1855. "J. W. ipse." 



O. W. tab. viii. figs. 2, 3. 



These eggs from a hill uear Pinkisjarwi. I took them in com- 

 pany with Eric. The cliff looked very formidable, but we found 

 it practicable when he had been home to fetch an axe and a rope, 

 by cutting down a tall birch to make such a ladder as enabled me to 

 climb up the cliff and take the eggs myself. Indeed I reached it 

 from the top of the tree. The rock was overhanging. The nest, very 

 large, and with a considerable hollow, was made of fresh sticks, not 

 very big ; and inside were a few green willow twigs, and several tufts 

 of sedgy grass. The hen bird flew off long before we came near, and 

 circled away, when she was soon joined by her mate. She looked 

 exactly like the birds of the other nest [§ 198] . It was snowing hard 

 while we were there, very conveniently for me, who had not slept 

 much for several nights, as travelling was thus stopped for a time. 

 Under the nest was much Cystea [quaere, Cystopteris ?~\ , and a 

 little Woodsia, with several kinds of alpine plants. The rock loose 

 and dangerous. The snowy slope below was very steep, and we shot 

 down it on our backs at a great pace. Our Reindeer were feeding in 

 the distance, but we went to the place on snow-shoes. I preserved 

 a feather found near the nest. 



§ 201. Four. — Aunas-tunturi, Kemi Lappmark, 1 May, 1855. 

 " Bird snared." 



Taken by Piety on a steep cliff on the south side of Aunas-tunturi. 

 It was a very old nest. He set a string with a series of horse-hair 

 nooses ; and his brother went to examine it, and took the bird out. 

 Piety skinned it. The other bird then sat upon the eggs. There 

 were small young in them. About the nest were many bones of 

 Grouse, Whimbrels, and smaller birds. It was made of old white 

 sticks. It appears that, in 1854, a Merlin built in this spot, though 

 it had always been occupied before by a Gyrfalcon. 



[The skin of the bird killed on this nest is now in the Norwich Museum.] 



^ 202. 0^2^.— West Finmark (?), 1855 (?). 

 Brought to Muouiovaara by Lassi, 8th April 1856. He thought it 



