PETCHORA 385 



circle round me and the nest, and it was some time before 

 I secured it. The nest is covered over as with that of our 

 English bird. It was necessary to identify it, to assist in 

 the identification of future nests, as we were in hope still 

 to get one of the Siberian Chiffchaff. 



We (Seebohm and I) got nests also of Ringed Plover, 

 Lapland Bunting, Red-throated Pipit, Bluethroat, Reeve, 

 Temminck's Stint, and Willow Grouse. 



The Bluethroats and Reeves were on the point of 

 hatching, and so we did not take them. 



The Willow Grouse's nest was found by Simeon, who is 

 turning out a valuable assistant, especially on the tundra. 



Birds shot were Larus cachinnans, four, one of which is 

 a remarkably small bird. Buffon's Skua, two ; and Arctic 

 Skua. 



This last bird differs from Buffon's Skua in having the 

 centre tail feathers very short, in the head being brown, 

 not black, and in the brown colour on the under parts 

 covering only the tail coverts, and not the belly. It is 

 also a good deal larger. The feet and legs are also 

 entirely black, whereas in Buffon's Skua they are blotched 

 with lead colour, or the legs are lead-colour and the feet 

 only black. The black cap of the Buffon's Skua also 

 extends further down the neck, and is more pointed and 

 sharply defined than the brown cap of this bird. 



We also shot a female Wheatear, Dunlin with very rich- 

 coloured back, Long-tailed Duck, Reeve, Bluethroat, etc. 



I saw one Grey Plover only, identifying it thoroughly 

 with my glass, and saw it and also a Golden Plover also 

 carefully identified exercising a phase of flight not 

 hitherto observed by me. When high in air the flight 

 resembled that of a Tern, the wings being raised until 

 they nearly meet over the back, and the birds rising and 

 falling in their flight ; dipping just like a Tern and 

 uttering their notes at the same time. 



