FETCH OR A 293 



large larch, but in it we found no birds save a pair of 

 Marsh Tits, which we shot, a great Black Woodpecker, 

 which we heard, and we saw four small Geese fly over- 

 head and as far to the northward as we could watch them. 

 These last appeared to be small, dark above, and very 

 light-coloured underneath. We had a long trail on 

 snow-skates through the woods and came back by the 

 willow island. Here our eyes were gladdened by seeing 

 seven or eight Shore Larks, four of which we shot. Two 

 more Geese kept circling round, evidently wishing to 

 alight where the melting snow had formed little pools of 

 water, and part of the land was left bare. Afterwards, 

 when we crossed the island, and Seebohm went in pursuit 

 of some of the Shore Larks, they rose from the island, 

 and one flew away north, and the other, wheeling round 

 to our left, flew again to the southward. 



At the same time a large white bird, which we did not 

 at first make out from its gull-like flight, flew away to our 

 right across the river towards Ust Zylma, and alighted 

 about half-way across. We went in pursuit, but it rose 

 far out of shot, but again alighted among the stranded 

 boats on the sandbank nearly opposite the churches. A 

 second time he arose at our approach, and flew away 

 high over the town towards the high ground above. He 

 was a large Owl, but at the distance it was not possible 

 to say whether Snowy, Ural, or Lap. His flight was like 

 that of a Glaucous Gull, but sometimes he skimmed along 

 with motionless, extended wings ; and until he rose high 

 to go over the houses, he followed the inequalities of the 

 snow-covered sandbanks and ridges on the river, never 

 rising more than twenty feet above its surface. The 

 wings appeared sharper and longer in proportion to his 

 body than those of, for instance, a Tawny or Barn Owl. 

 I examined his footprints on the top of a hummock of 

 snow, and they were very large, the middle toe being 



VOL. II. 21 



