Voss and the Evanger River. 229 



to show me how good an actress upon occasion she 

 can be. 



I met one sensible sandpiper in my life, who took 

 my measure correctly at the first glance. She evidently 

 decided I was no ornithologist, and took no further notice 

 of me, simply going about her own business. 



While there were but two eggs in the nest, after my 

 second approach, she would remain looking me straight 

 in the face, and behaved in the same manner until the 

 complement of eggs were hatched out. Her nest was 

 situated in a thin bush about four feet from the ground, 

 unusually high according to my experience. The following 

 spring I looked out for my little friend, but the winter's 

 wear had destroyed the lodging of her old home, and I saw 

 her not. 



The white wagtail is also a silly bird, for when she hops 

 up from that crevice among the granite blocks which holds 

 her nest she remains still for a few seconds, and preens 

 herself. She is clever to stand still for a while, for, if 

 in search of her eggs, the very last place I should hunt 

 would be the chink near her, but in preening herself she 

 tells a tale, and distinctly gives herself away. 



In certain years there are a great quantity of lemings 

 all along the river-side, and I have frequently seen them 

 swim across the pools at dusk. They are plucky little 

 beasts when cornered, as if you put forward the butt end 



