PETCHORA 367 



At our next halting-place we added two species to our 

 list : 



Eed-necked Phalarope. 



Tufted Duck. 



Seebohm shot five of the former and one of the latter. 

 The Phalaropes were frequenting a little pool with grass 

 round the edges, and rose when he shot the Tufted Duck 

 and settled on the water round the latter, when he shot 

 the five, one after the other. 



I crossed in the boat to the adjoining island, where 

 there w r as a great deal of open marshy ground. Here 

 I shot a Temminck's Stint perched upon the top of a 

 low twig of scrub-willow. It tumbled over and remained 

 suspended by one foot, the latter having got entangled 

 in a bunch of last year's leaves. 



I soon after came upon the parade-ground (lek) of a 

 party of Buffs and Keeves. I watched the males for 

 some time pirouetting on the summit of a piece of peat ; 

 or running round it, in a stooping position with the ruffs 

 puffed out to the fullest extent. When at last they 

 became alarmed all collected together on the top, and I 

 fired, but the distance was over fifty yards, and I did 

 not secure one. I afterwards shot two males, walking 

 them up out of the long! grass and dwarf willow. The 

 top of the block of peat, which was about a yard square, 

 was trampled down with their feet, and must have been 

 frequented by them for some time. 



At another place we landed in pursuit of a large flight 

 of Great Snipe, and in a very short time secured ten 

 birds, and Seebohm also found another party of Ked- 

 necked Phalaropes and shot four more. The Snipe were 

 in great numbers and were flying about continually and 

 alighting around us. We saw them frequently on the 

 ground, and heard the curious sound made by them 

 whilst feeding, which may be imitated by a rapid low 



