The terrestrial mammals and birds of North-East Greenland. 



109 



At my arrival the Barnacles were standing in couples or in 

 small flocks in the ponds or they were grazing near these; some 

 were high up the mountain-slopes. 



Almost all the Geese used to leave the marsh every day at cer- 

 tain times and disappeared southwards towards the high middle 

 part of Trekroner. 



I set out in this direction, thinking that a larger lake was lying 

 near the mountain, and that the Geese retired to this after their 

 meal. I really found a pair of larger fresh water basins and saw 



Fig. 1. Nesting localit\' of the Barnacles. 



in these a few Geese, which being frightened flew farther towards 

 the mountains. Having come within a distance of one kilometer 

 from Trekroner I solved the riddle. The Barnacles were swarming 

 to and fro along the gigantic mountain wall like bees at their hive, 

 and I heard a continuous humming, sounding like a distant talk. 



I took a seat at the foot of the mountain and observed the be- 

 haviour of the Geese for some hours. Using my field glass I could 

 without difficulty notice even the smallest details. 



While some of the Geese would constantly fly along the rocky 

 wall and sometimes mounted so heigh in the air, that they disap- 

 peared on the other side of the rocks, the majority of the birds 

 were sitting in couples upon the shelves of the rocky wall some of 



