20 A. L. V. Manniche. 



water which had otherwise become ice-free in most places during 

 the month of July. Still the formation of new ice was never of 

 long duration as yet, and often it disappeared in the course of a 

 few hours. — The sun which was still always over the horizon 

 exerted a rather considerable, softening influence on the approaching 

 autumn, and as a rule the effects of a single local snow-squall were 

 without much importance with regard to the bird life. 



The comparatively sensitive young wading-birds were now 

 nearly all able to fly and consequently much better equipped to 

 meet the cold night air or a passing storm. Young Calidris arena- 

 ria, Strepsilas interpres, Ægialitis hiaticula and to a certain extent 

 Tringa canutus assembled in flocks on the shores of the inlets, 

 where the}' fed especially on smaller Crustacea and worms, while 

 the old parent birds flew away immediately, when their mission 

 concerning the care of the young had been fulfilled. Only Tringa 

 alpina left the country in families. 



Quite small, downy eider ducks and longtailed ducks were still 

 seen at the mouths of the rivers or farther out on the sea-water. 

 With incredible hardiness these tiny creatures braved the cold and 

 the rough weather, just as staying in the icy water did not seem to 

 inconvenience them in the least. 



Sterna macrura and Lestris longicauda had their young fledged 

 in the middle of August, but were still seen bringing their offspring 

 food for a few days more. 



At the end of August the night-frost increased considerably and 

 closed the pantries of the wading-birds, ice being formed along the 

 shores of the inlets and on the freshwater ponds with shallow water. 



The insect- and vegetable life died away, and the remaining young 

 waders flew southward with the exception of a few stragglers. The 

 same was the case with the skuas and barnacle geese. The terns 

 had left the country about a week earlier. 



In September the average temperature, as shown by the table, 

 had again become negative. In the beginning of the month all the 

 freshwater lakes lay covered with ice. With very few exceptions the 

 rivers were dried up long ago, and the few remaining stragglers of 

 wading-birds — late developed or sick individuals — led a miserable 

 existence on the frozen shores, ending in most cases as an easy prey 

 to the gyrfalcon, the autumn passage of these birds being now on 

 its height. Large crowds of snow-buntings were strolling about on 

 the plains, especially along the coast, where also some few smaller 

 flocks of ptarmigans appeared now and then, having left their sum- 

 mer residence on the mountains in the interior of the country. On 

 the bays and inlets the open water still prevailed, and here I daily 



