PETCHORA 



single Golden Plover was seen during the whole day, and 

 every Plover we saw was identified with or without our 

 glasses. 



The ground frequented by these Plovers was a level 

 or hummocky stretch of the tundra, which extends for 

 miles on all sides. On each side of the immediate 

 locality is a black tarn. Kidges of dryer ground wind 

 and twist about amongst the slightly lower and wetter 

 places, which latter are soft and peaty on the surface, but 

 frozen hard at the depth of 1 or 1J feet. 



All over the Tundra, but especially in these hummocky 

 places (like the peat-hags of a Scotch moor on a small 

 scale), last year's cranberries are to be found in abun- 

 dance, and the flowers of the ' maroshka ' (Rubus chame- 

 morus) appear in smaller numbers. Here and there small 

 bushes of dwarf birch grow, and the whole surface of the 

 drier ground is covered with dwarf rhododendrons 

 Sednm palustre (which, when crushed, emitted an 

 aromatic and delicious fragrance), with short reindeer- 

 and green moss ; and old branches of Betula nana wind 

 about amongst the latter. 



In the far distance in the east, is a low range of hills 

 culminating in a considerably higher hill with peaks the 

 Pytkov Mountains. All the horizon around, save in that 

 direction, is low and level. 



Simeon soon found a nest with four eggs, just like 

 Golden Plovers', perhaps a trifle larger and with a greener 

 ground colour, and immediately afterwards Seebohm 

 came up, and we both feasted our eyes for a brief space 

 of time. ' Dobra, dobra, Simeon ; ' and Simeon grinned 

 delightedly a broad merry grin. It was agreed that I 

 should lie down and wait for the bird. I lay down about 

 forty yards from the nest, well concealed behind a ridge 

 of the drier ground, and began to jot down a few notes 

 in my pocket-book. 



