chap. iv. BIRDS. 27 



sketch by Dore. In many places birches and Scotch fir were 

 common, and occasionally we saw a few willows. There were 

 very few birds. The hooded crow was the commonest, 

 principally close to the villages. Now and then we saw a 

 jackdaw or a raven or a pair of magpies. As we proceeded 

 farther east, sparrows became less plentiful, but we noticed 

 both species, the house and the tree sparrow. Soon after 

 leaving Archangel we met with a flock of snow-buntings, and 

 they gradually became more frequent as we neared Mezen, 

 especially on the rivers. They seemed to be slowly migrating 

 northwards, following the course of the rivers, where there 

 was always a chance of their finding some open water. Not 

 far from Pinega we got out of the sledge to chase a pair of 

 great spotted woodpeckers, and succeeded in shooting the 

 female. We also saw a pair of Siberian jays, but, not being 

 provided with snow shoes, we found it was no use attempting 

 to follow the birds into the forests through the deep snow. 

 Soon after leaving Pinega we saw a bird sitting on a cliff, 

 and after a short chase shot it, and found it to be a common 

 crossbill, a bird which, curiously enough, we did not meet 

 with afterwards. A stage or two before reaching Mezen, we 

 saw a second pair of Siberian jays, and surprised a fine male 

 capercailzie not far from the road. 



At Pinega we found a party of Samoyedes from Kanin, 

 with about twenty sledges, and we passed a larger party 

 about halfway to Mezen. We met with no difficulties. 

 Once or twice, on our arrival at a station during the night, 

 we were told that there were no horses to be had, that 

 they were all out ; but on the presentation of the " Crown 



