296 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST 



May 11. 



On Tuesday, the llth of May, we had a north wind, 

 but still a rapid thaw and very warm in the sun. 



Accompanied by the postmaster, who is reckoned a 

 great chasseur we sledged across the river and a few 

 versts up the Zylma, and then went on snow-shoes to 

 look for Wild Geese on an undulating meadow interspersed 

 with willows, where the thaw had already cleared patches 

 of ground here and there. Geese we saw in plenty, flying 

 round but not alighting, though at one or two places we 

 saw their footprints. On the little bare patches on the 

 rising ground we found some stamps set, similar to those 

 already described (see figures on p. 294). Two Swans 

 flew overhead near enough to tempt me to fire, but 

 though the slugs rattled against the feathers, the one I 

 hit seemed quite unhurt and flew on. 



Coming home we stopped at the island, and Seebohm 

 shot two Shore Larks, and I killed a $ Merlin higher up 

 the river. 



Close to Ust Zylma five or six Gulls (Larus fuscus, or 

 possibly L. cachinnans)* were flying about a little lake 

 which had formed on the ice, and a fine large Sea or 

 White-tailed Eagle settled within fifty yards of our sledge, 

 and Seebohm fired with slug without any visible effect, 

 save that he again alighted about 150 yards further out 

 on the ice, and I tried a bullet at him after. 



I fired also at a fine Kaven, not more than 50 yards 

 out, without effect. 



The snow was very soft in places, and it was heavy 

 walking even in snowshoes, and I again smashed one 



* At the examination of our skins made at Sheffield by Messrs. 

 H. E. Dresser, Howard Saunders, and H. Seebohm, in September? 

 1875, the verdict arrived at was, that these Gulls were not Larus 

 leucopk&us, because the mantle was too dark, and the second primary 

 without the white spot. 



