FETCH OR A 331 



of fawn on the lower part of the throat, and in all the 

 moustachial line of feathers is distinct and marked. 



The feathers on the backs of the more adult, and 

 indeed upon all the undoubted specimens of the Red- 

 throated Pipit, have broad whitish margins, and the dark 

 centres are more conspicuous ; in other words, the con- 

 trast between dark and light is more marked than in the 

 specimens of A . arborensis, which have the backs greener 

 and want the white edging to the feathers. We were not 

 yet able to arrive at a conclusion. 



We obtained also two specimens of Toads, which were 

 numerous in a little pool of water near the marshy 

 ground and also in the pools in the pine-woods. These 

 we put in spirits. 



This evening there is much less ice on the river, and 

 the water is gradually rising. 



Our new arrival to-day is the Sparrowhawk. 



May 30. 



On Sunday, the 30th of May, with a strong, soft, 

 ' southerly wind and a cloudy sky,' not a scrap of ice was 

 to be seen on the river, and we set about getting boxes 

 for birds, and expect the arrival of the steamer now very 

 soon ; because each day it delays, the rising of the river will 

 increase the strength and swiftness of the current. The 

 ice of the Zylma and Pischma broke up on the morning 

 of the 20th of May, giving the first move to the ice of the 

 great river, and the ice of the Petchora broke up and began 

 to descend steadily on the 23rd. It appears to be all past 

 now, but the Ussa ice has still to come. It passes Ust 

 Zylma, however, in the form of * brash ' ice, so will not 

 interfere much with the navigation of the river. Our 

 boat should arrive now very soon also, and our men will 

 likely come from Habarika with the steamer. 



The new arrival to-day is the Buff. We bought a Ruff 



