102 



SIBERIA IX EUROPE. 



CHAP. X. 



Fieldfares* and redwings t also arrived and soon became 

 very numerous ; and in the flocks of shore-larks which con- 

 tinued to pass through the district, a few Lapland buntings + 

 were generally to be seen. 



Flocks of shore-larks had by this time become more 

 numerous, and consisted of males and females in nearly 

 equal numbers. These birds were very tame, frecpienting 

 for the most part the fields at the back of the village, 



* The fieldfare ( Turdvts pilaris, 

 Linn.) is a regular winter visitor to 

 the British Islands, having a somewhat 

 more southerly breeding range than 

 the redwing. It breeds in the Arctic 

 circle, extending up to and occasionally 

 beyond the limit of forest growth, and 

 frequenting also in large colonies the 

 various birch regions in north tem- 



rate Europe and throughout Siberia, 

 as far eastwards as the watershed of 

 the Yenesay and the Lena. It winters 

 in Southern Europe, occurring very 

 rarely in the Spanish peninsula, but 

 crossing the Mediterranean to Morocco, 

 Algeria, Egypt, and Nubia. In Asia it 

 winters in Turkestan and Cashmere. 

 In the valley of the Petchora we found 

 it up to latitude 68°. 



t The redwing ( Turdus iliacus, Linn.) 

 i< a regular winter migrant to the 

 I'.ritish Islands, breeding at or near 

 the Ail tic circle, occasionally straying 

 into <ireenland, throughout the palae- 

 arctic region, though it appears to 

 become very rare cast of the valley of 

 the Yenesay. It winters in western 

 and southern Europe, occasionally cross- 

 in.' the Mediterranean into Algeria. 



In Asia it has been found sparingly in 

 winter in Persia, Turkestan and North- 

 West India. In the valley of the 

 Petchora we found it as far north as 

 latitude 08°. The redwing frequents 

 the birch region and the upper zone of 

 the pine region, occurring south of the 

 Arctic circle, wherever these trees are 

 found at a greater or less elevation. 

 It is the most northerly in its range of 

 any of the thrushes, being occasionally 

 found on the tundra beyond the limit 

 of forest growth. In these localities 

 it breeds on the ground like a ring- 

 ousel. 



% The Lapland bunting (Plectro- 

 phanes lapponicus Linn.) is a circum- 

 polar bird breeding on the tundras 

 beyond the limit of forest growth, and 

 occasionally straggling into England in 

 winter. It winters in various parts 

 of Europe, China, and the Northern 

 United States of America. In the 

 valley of the Petchora. we found it 

 passing through Qst-Zylma in great 

 numbers, and did not meet with it 

 again until we reached latitude 68° 

 and latitude 6S£°. 



