TROMSO TO VARDO 21 



pairs. We saw the first on the turf roof of a hut by the 

 sea. In vain we hunted for the eggs, and I began to 

 feel it was no wonder that the old bushman had failed to 

 find them, though he knew the birds so well, at Quick- 

 jock on the fields. 



Once Hyland called to me that he had found a nest, 

 and that the bird was on. But, putting his hand into a 

 deep hole in the bank, he took out, not a sitting bird, 

 but a very forward young one, who had been hiding 

 there. This was a revelation, and afterwards we found 

 two lots of strong-flying young birds among the shingle 

 by the sea. 



June \2tI1. — The next day I visited the other island, 

 Reno, by myself. When I called on Captain Lonnevig 

 (the most northerly Commandant in Europe) he was 

 very kind about this. He is the lessee of Reno, which 

 belongs to the town, and gave me leave to go and see it. 

 I liked Captain Lonnevig very much, he was so frank 

 and genial ; and I much appreciated the privilege of 

 being allowed to prowl about Reno ; for he is quite alive 

 to the oreat interest of the island under his care. Indeed 

 we had much in common that way. Only I wished I 

 had been better up in the local flora, for he took the 

 greatest interest in the flowers of Reno, which he said 

 were curiously different from those of the mainland. By 

 the way, Captain Lonnevig assured me that the king 

 eider only came to Vardo in the autumn. 



