BERGEN TO TROMSO 13 



pairs of ravens had nested, and were now feeding their 

 young. 



4 We sat for a while at the edge of a plateau which 

 forms the summit of this rock, and then made our way to 

 a cairn on rather higher ground to the east. A golden 

 plover whistled and flew off. Then I noticed about sixty 

 yards off two birds on the ground, which I knew at once 

 to be Richardson's skua, of which I had seen one flying 

 over the mountain a few moments before. Lying down 

 I watched them through the glass. They both belonged 

 to the dark variety, the shade of the back of the neck 

 only a little lighter than the top of the head. One bird 

 was sitting ; the other, standing at first, presently settled 

 itself down as if on eggs. They allowed us to approach 

 within fifteen yards before they flew off. I could find on 

 coming up no sign whatever of nest or eggs. 



' We walked a bit farther, but beyond tracks of rein- 

 deer in the snow, saw nothing of interest till we descended 

 the hill. About half-way down Powys found a titlark's 

 nest with four eggs. Crossing several patches of snow 

 we reached the foot. The dogs put up a pair of rypa, 

 and two others came flying down from above. 



' Powys then returned to the yacht. I hunted the 

 lower slopes with Hyland. We found a brambling's 

 nest in the fork of an alder, just as high as I could reach. 

 This nest — made of grasses, goat's hair, 1 wool, feathers of 

 rypa and others (among them the pin feather of a snipe), 



1 Probably reindeer hair. 



