DAN MEINERTZHAGEN'S DIARY. 42 



bird-eaters in the form of Rough-legged Buzzards, 

 which I saw to-day Bob also saw some. I 

 shot a Siberian Tit and a squirrel to-day, and 

 saw a Merlin, and some Golden Eye Ducks. 

 Bob shot a beautiful male Golden Eye this 

 morning, and got up to within 200 yards of 

 Cranes. He says he saw another sort of a duck, 

 but is not certain of what species probably a 

 Tufted Duck. 



Bob shot his dog to-day, and I'm not sorry 

 for it, for a more disobedient little cur I never 

 saw. 



Isak, our guide and philosopher, left to-day. 

 He wants to be back in Tromso by the i/th of 

 May, but 1 doubt if he'll manage it, as the 

 river is most dangerous for sledging at least as 

 far south as this. He has been most useful to 

 us, and I'm very sorry to part with him, as 

 we were the best of friends. 



May i st. Bob and I went up the bank of the 

 river to try and get some duck. I had four 

 long shots at Golden Eye and got one fine old 

 male. We saw about a dozen Geese, which, 

 though not appearing very wild, would not let 

 us get within shot. We also saw some Pintails. 



Sunday, May 2nd. We did nothing to-day, 

 but skin the birds we had previously shot. The 

 snow is gone now from the most exposed parts, 



