56 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



Alston and I separated in the morning, but we had no 

 gun, and he went back for his. I tried to catch the ? as 

 she sat in the grass, and got to within a couple of feet of 

 her. Alston afterwards saw another $ . 



I saw another Woodcock to-day, and Tree Pipits were 

 quite plentiful. 



Alston found King Ouzels apparently about to breed in 

 a low rock close to the house, the species being common 

 in this glen. 



The Great Titmouse is building under the eaves of the 

 house. 



To-night we completed the filling of the ' Tine,' which 

 now contains 233 Fieldfares' eggs (in addition to the six 

 nests and eggs in our big box), six Goldeneyes, two nests 

 of seven and four eggs of Fjeld Ryper, and one nest of 

 Redwings. 



June 15. 



On Thursday, the 15th of June, a very hot day, we were 

 up at 4.30 a.m., and started with Ole and Lars after the 

 ' Eagles.' We drove in the carioles as far as the top of 

 Smedalsvand, about four miles (English), and then sent 

 the carioles back. 



Having first cacheed some beer, we started at six o'clock. 

 Thence, having crossed the bridge, we walked some five 

 miles further over a pass leading into Valdersdal. Nearly 

 all our way was over deep snow, which was, luckily, 

 pretty hard, a sharp night's frost having thus rendered 

 the walking on these high f jelds not so bad as usual. 



On attaining the ridge and getting into the valley we 

 had our first taste of the day's bad luck. Ole saw a 

 Ryper (Ptarmigan), and asked to be allowed a shot, to 

 which we consented, and he shot two. 



Then from behind a knoll in front of us, by the side of 

 a little frozen lake, away went five splendid Eeindeer. 

 The shot must have startled them. They first walked 



