DAN MEINERTZHAGEN'S DIARY. 47 



to see some of these huge masses of ice, come 

 rushing down the rapid with the sun setting 

 behind, and giving the most beautiful light 

 effects, was a sight one will never forget. What 

 the river can be like at Tornea, 1 cannot imagine, 

 for there are many rivers as large as this 

 running into it, and this is 400 or 500 yards 

 across at the rapids. 



I shot to-day two Redwings in beautiful plu- 

 mage, a Siberian Tit and a gorgeous cock Rypa. 

 Rypas seem to be very common here, as I find 

 plenty of droppings, but unless one has a good 

 dog, one sees very few. This bird has finished 

 the moult of his head, the feathers of which 

 seem similar to those of the English lagopus 

 scoticus, except for the white patches round the 

 bill and eye. The feathers which can be detected 

 under the white ones on the back will, I sup- 

 pose, appear in a week or two. 



Bob shot a male Pintail, and came back with 

 an adventurous boat story. 



May 6th. I got a clutch of six Magpie's eggs 

 to-day, probably the first clutch of Magpie's 

 ever taken here, as I doubt whether the birds 

 have been here long. 



Bob shot a Reed Bunting in perfect plumage and 

 also a fine pair of Tufted Duck. The male bird 

 makes a croak very similar to that of a Crow. 



