288 SIBERIA IN EUROPE. chap. xxn. 



the half-bred ; five minutes later, all were up and hard at 

 work packing. By five o'clock we were on board, steaming 

 over a sea smooth as glass towards Bolvanski Nos. At eight 

 we went on shore at Stanavialachta to visit the peregrine's 

 nest, where we expected to find a new lot of eggs. From a 

 distance we could see the male bird sitting on the spot. He 

 allowed us to approach to within ten or twelve yards, when 

 suddenly he took the alarm and rose. We fired and dropped 

 him on the beach below. There were no eggs in the nest. 

 Probably the female bird was sitting on the other eyrie ; but 

 we were dead-beat with fatigue, and the hillsides swarmed 

 with mosquitoes, so we made our way back at once to the 

 steamer, shooting a willow-grouse as we went, a male in fine 

 summer plumage. The flowers on this part of the tundra 

 were very beautiful, vividly coloured, and abundant ; espe- 

 cially lovely was a tall monkshood and a species of pink. 

 On board the steamer we stretched ourselves on the sofa in 

 the cabin, and fell asleep, only to awake when the steamer 

 stopped at Alexievka about noon. 



The Triad was making ready to start on the morrow ; her 

 cargo was to be about 8000 cubic feet of larch. Our stay 

 in these Arctic latitudes was now fast drawing to an end. I 

 spent the afternoon looking about the island, directing my 

 search especially for young of the yellow-headed wagtail. 

 Scarcely was a bird to be seen out of cover. Grass nearly 

 two feet high covered the ground, and the willows were in 

 full leaf. It was difficult enough to get a shot at a bird, and 

 almost impossible to find it when brought down. At last I 

 tried the coast, and found plenty of birds feeding amongst the 



