DAN MEINERTZHAGEN'S DIARY. 26 



along the track through the woods, and shot a 

 Siberian Tit. A man called Nilas Geskidalo, 

 of Muonio, called here this morning ; he looks 

 an awful blackguard, but says he knows of a 

 Tengmalm's Owl's nest, without eggs. He 

 also says he can get me eggs of " Gala Seski," 

 which I think may mean " Osprey," but I 

 haven't it among my list of Finn bird names. 

 Magpies are quite common here. There is a 

 rather pretty Finnish girl at Muonioniska, who 

 has been in America for three years, and speaks 

 English well ; we have made arrangements 

 to stay in her parents' house for two months, 

 with two comfortable rooms, at 30 kr. the two 

 for both rooms. This will be very convenient 

 when Isak our guide goes, as we shall never 

 learn to speak Finnish in the time. Also 50 ore 

 a day each is much cheaper than the living 

 here ; of course it does not include food, which 

 we will buy from the house, but we hope to 

 shoot enough birds and catch enough fish to 

 keep us going, when the snow is gone and the 

 river broken up. To-morrow, then, we cross 

 over to the Russian side. 



Muonioniska, April 2Oth. Isak brought the 

 luggage over the river to-day, and we are settled 

 at last. We went for several walks in the snow, 

 and found some open water both in the big river, 



