The terrestrial mammals and birds of North-East Greenland. 



13 



even though the weather may still be very capricious. Calm air 

 with splendid sunshine alternates with cloudy weather, cold mists 

 and violent local showers. When I was camping out in tent on 

 Stormkap during the last days of May 1908, I thus experienced a 

 two days snow-storm of such a severe character that it was impos- 

 sible for me to venture out of the tent, while the storm lasted. 

 After the cessation of the storm the snow-buntings appeared, having 

 assembled in large flocks, quite exhausted with hunger, and several 

 perished individuals were to be found all round the territory. The 



i 



Fig. 4. Polar hare locality' (below two hares). April 1907. ("Harefjeldet"). 



new fallen, thick layer of snow disappeared with an astonishing 

 haste for the ensuing sunny warmth, and several insignificant pools 

 of melt water appeared in this way in the low-lying fens and mea- 

 dow lands. 



The evaporation of the snow takes place at a furious rate, 

 especially towards the end of the month, and melting from below 

 may be traced here and there, though the mean temperature is still 

 rather low (ч- 6—7°). In some places on the inlet ice open tide 

 water cracks were formed, especially along the coast. The ice on 

 the freshwater lakes and streamlets remained unbroken all the month. 



The vegetation began to get alive on such localities which were 

 particularly exposed to light and warmth. 



