The terrestrial mammals and birds of North-East Greenland. 131 



In the summers 1907 and 1908 I met with Knots in these re- 

 gions, apparently every year the same some 30 couples. In spite 

 of all my efforts I did not suceed in finding any nest; the vastness 

 and monotony of the territory afforded great difficulties, and besides 

 I was perfectly ignorant of the behavior of this species in the bree- 

 ding season. My careful observations and the examinations of birds 

 killed at different times render me able to say with certainty, that 

 this bird — generally so little known at its nesting quarters — does 

 breed here. 



The Knots arrived at the Stormkap territory in couples at 

 exactly the same time as did the other waders; in the two sum- 

 mers respectively June 2'^'^ and May 28*^*. 



While the Sanderlings, Dunlins, Turnstones and Ringed Plovers 

 immediately took to the sparely occurring spots free from snow, 

 the Knots would prefer to go to the still snowcovered hollows in 

 the marshes and moors, where I saw them running on the snow 

 eagerly occupied in picking up the seed of Carex- and Liiziila-hiUs 

 the ends of which here and there appeared over the snow. This 

 sandpiper, more than its relatives, feeds on plants at certain seasons. 



In the first days I also observed now and then a couple of 

 Knots on snowless spots on elevated table-lands and even on the 

 top of the high gravel banks at Stormkap. These may however 

 have settled there in order to rest after the voyage and not to 

 search food. As soon as ponds of melting snow and fresh-water 

 beaches free from ice were to be found, the Knots would resort to 

 these, and here the birds wading or swimming looked for animal 

 diet. In this season the Knot did not appear on the salt water 

 shore — like other waders. 



Gradually as more extensive stretches of low lying table-land 

 became free from snow, the Knots occurred more frequently here 

 in their real nesting quarters; they would however still for a Avhile 

 often visit moors and marshes with a rich vegetation of Cyperacece. 



Peculiar to this species is its restless character. 



The resident couples would every day make long excursions, 

 not only to seek food, but probably also for pleasure. Their great 

 power of flight makes them able to do this without difficulty. In 

 rapid high flight they are now here and now there. I often saw 

 them set out in a northern direction high over the summits of the 

 mountains or in a southern far out over the ice in the firths, to re- 

 turn after a short while. More than the other waders the Knots 

 keep strictly in couples immediately after their arrival; examinations 

 of the sexual organs of birds, killed just after their arrival, proved, 

 that the breeding time was near. The testicles of the males were 



