218 On Birds observed on Kolguev. 



-^17. Phalaropus hyperboreus. Red-necked Plialarope. 



A number of these birds were observed in suitable localities, 

 but no nests were taken. 



yj.8. Trinoa alpina. Dunlin. 



Common in all the more marshy parts. These eggs — a 

 clutch of four, much incubated — were the first we took on 

 landing. We also obtained several young in down. 



19. Tringa MiNUTA. Little Stint. 



The eggs of this species were among the special prizes ob- 

 tained on this island. The birds were fairly numerous on both 

 sides of the river as far up as it was affected by the tide, but 

 no nests were found beyond that point. The nests were in all 

 kinds of positions : among coarse herbage on the low marshy 

 ground, on dry ground at the foot of the bluffs, on the sides 

 of the bluffs among dwarf sallow 3 to 5 inches high, and on 

 the tundra among fine low grass some little distance from the 

 edge of the bluffs. We took 15 clutches (12 of four, two of 

 three, and one of one) ; eight of the most distinctly coloured 

 eggs will be figured by Mr. Frank Poynting in his ^Eggs of 

 the British Limicolje.^ Only two or three of the birds were 

 shot for identification, for when a bird performs a little dance 

 within two feet of you, or sits on your gun-barrel as it lies by 

 your side to see how you blow the eggs, it seems not only 

 unnecessary but cold-blooded murder, to kill it ! It was 

 quite bad enough to see one come and sit down in the nest 

 close to your feet, and then get uj) to enquire where the 

 eggs had gone. Some of the clutches were fresh, others 

 taken some days earlier were too much incubated to make 

 good specimens. In colouring, some eggs are beautifully 

 blotched with burnt-sienna brown on pale green, and are like 

 some varieties of Red-necked Plialarope, while others could 

 scarcely be distinguished from eggs of Temminck^s Stint — 

 the latter form proving fatal to the bird ! It is evident that 

 great caution must be used in accepting the eggs of this 

 bird as genuine. 



20. Tringa temmincki. Temminck's Stint. 



We took only two nests of this bird on the Gobista^ and 



