PET CHORA 397 



since our last visit to the Alexievkai Tundra on the 

 22nd June. 



Before landing on the tundra we found a Eing 

 Dotterel's nest with four eggs, on one of the islands, 

 and shot the bird. 



Our men struck off in a different direction from us, 

 and when they rejoined us had done nothing. They 

 had traversed the old ground where we took the Grey 

 Plover's eggs on the 22nd, and we had taken a new 

 stretch of tundra more to the right (or south-east). 



Seebohm and I, lying some hundred yards apart, spent 

 fully two hours over a Plover's nest, and after the 

 nest was found, Seebohm lay quite another hour to 

 shoot the bird. He had watched the female on to the 

 nest, and when I fired off my gun saw the bird leave the 

 spot. We found the nest with four eggs, and he re- 

 mained to try and shoot the bird, but after a weary wait 

 was not successful. He fired at, and we believe wounded, 

 the female, as only the male returned afterwards. We 

 both, to-day, distinctly heard the birds utter both a single 

 note and the double one, watching the birds within a few 

 paces' distance. 



No Golden Plovers were seen inland on the tundra, 

 but near the riverside at a place called Bougre a 

 fisherman's empty hut several pairs were seen and one 

 bird shot. Here also was one pair of Grey Plovers. 



Close to Bougre a flock of about a hundred Buffon's 

 Skuas were hovering overhead, and we got right in 

 amongst them, Seebohm shooting six from one and 

 the same spot. They behaved in exactly the same way 

 as a colony of Terns. When one was shot the rest of 

 the flock swooped at and hovered over us, and we shot 

 a dozen birds, some with dust shot. 



One bird, which was particularly persevering in its 

 attacks, led to the discovery of a young bird in down 



