CHAP. IX. 



NEW ARRIVALS. 



exactly the same as that of the common and Mediterranean 

 herring-gulls. On the 12th came a little detachment of 

 white wagtails * in the village, we shot six during the day. 

 In each instance, they were on the roof of the houses. We 

 also shot a redstart,! occupying the same position. Another 

 new arrival was the meadow pipit, of which we shot a 

 solitary example. The shore-larks had already been some 

 days in Ust-Zylma, and by this time were in large and small 

 flocks in the fields on both sides of the town. All those we 

 shot proved to be males. Three or four small hawks, pro- 

 bably merlins, were hovering about, and a snowy owl | was 



Feathers,' 1873, p. 273), under the 

 erroneous title of Larus occidentals , 

 (Audubon). It has not hitherto been 

 obtained in the British Islands, but 

 several examples have occurred during 

 winter on Heligoland, and a sharp look- 

 out should be kept on our shores. 



* The white wagtail (Motacilla alba, 

 Linn.) is a comparatively rare bird in 

 the south of England, but is common 

 on the continent of Europe, breeding 

 in the south only at high elevations, 

 but extending northwards beyond the 

 limit of forest growth. In some parts 

 it is said to be resident, but the Arctic 

 birds migrate into South Europe and 

 North Africa in winter. Eastwards 

 it extends throughout Siberia as far 

 south as about latitude 59, and as far 

 east as the watershed between the 

 Yenesay and the Lena. There appears, 

 however, to be a somewhat isolated 

 colony breeding in the mountains round 

 Lake Baikal, crossing Mongolia and 

 West China on migration, and wintering 



in India. In the valley of the Petchora 

 we met with it up to latitude 68. 



t The redstart (Ruticilla phoeniciirus, 

 Linn.) is a common British bird during 

 the summer, arriving early in April. 

 It breeds throughout Central Europe, 

 extending north wards beyond the Arctic 

 circle. In South Europe it is rarely 

 seen except in spring and autumn, 

 though a few remain to breed at high 

 elevations. It probably winters in 

 Northern and Central Africa. In Asia 

 its range during the breeding season 

 extends eastwards as far as the valley 

 of the Yenesay, the Asiatic birds 

 wintering in Persia. 



J The snowy owl (Nyctea scandiaca, 

 Linn.) is a circumpolar bird breeding 

 principally within the Arctic circle, and 

 occasionally straggling in winter to the 

 British Islands, various parts of Central 

 Europe, South Siberia, Mongolia, and 

 the United States of America. In the 

 valley of the Petchora we found it as 

 far north as we went. 



