Mr. H. Seebohm oti the Ornithology of Siberia. 151 



the Yalmal peninsula, near the margins of the lakes on the 

 tundra, about lat. 67|. They were too late for eggs, but 

 had young in down in their hands. The mosquitoes, how- 

 ever, were so overwhelming that these adventurous ornitho- 

 logists failed to bring home any specimens of this still un- 

 known state of plumage. Capt. Feilden was more fortunate 

 with the Knot. He brought home young in down ob- 

 tained during the late Arctic Expedition. This bird was 

 breeding in lat. 82 i, on the shores of the Polar basin, a little 

 to the north of Cape Union ; and the young in down were 

 obtained on the 30th of July. It was also breeding on both 

 shores of the channel at Thank- God Harbour and Discovery 

 Bay, in lat. 81}. 



TRINGA ALPINA, Linn. 



I saw nothing of the Dunlin until the 14th of July, when 

 I shot a couple of males in lat. 69; and four days later I shot 

 a male and female in lat. 71 4. With these birds were young 

 in down. I am indebted to my friend Mr. Charles Murray 

 Adamson, of Newcastle, who has paid great attention for 

 many years to the changes in the plumage of the Waders, for 

 pointing out to me the interesting fact that these birds are 

 all moulting nearly the whole of their primaries at once, to 

 such an extent as to incapacitate them for extended flight, 

 and at a much earlier period than is the case in this country. 

 Mr. Adamson suggests that in the high latitudes, where the 

 summer is so short, the parent birds probably migrate with 

 their young, instead of a fortnight later, as is usually observed 

 in this country, Heligoland, &c. To enable them to do so 

 the autumn moult must take place at an earlier date. 



MACHETES PUGNAX (Linn.). 



The Ruff was a common bird in the valley of the Yen-e-say'. 

 I shot the first on migration on the 9th of June on the 

 Arctic circle ; and afterwards I met with them wherever there 

 was long grass in the swamps of the tundra as far north as 

 I travelled. 



ACTITIS HYPOLEUCA (Linn.). 



I shot the first Common Sandpiper on the 12th of June, 



