50 DAN MEINERTZHAGEN'S DIARY. 



some frog-spawn in the marshes. There are 

 plenty of insects about now river flies, some 

 small moths, and two different brown butterflies. 



With the showers of the last few days the 

 snow appears to be almost entirely gone except 

 on the fells, and these are covered only on the 

 north side and in the gullies. Less ice is 

 coming down the river. Bob tried spinning in 

 the small stream near the town, but caught 

 nothing. We had Tufted Duck soup to-night 

 for dinner, and excellent it was ; to-morrow, 

 Teal and Rypa. 



Old Nilas is sick or drunk, and did not 

 appear to-day. 



May loth. Yesterday, being Sunday, we 

 spent a lazy day, but instead of going to bed 

 I started out northwards about eleven o'clock, 

 just after sunset, and got about five miles into the 

 forest by sunrise, which was about a quarter 

 to one o'clock, and for the first time since we 

 have been here, the woods seemed alive with 

 birds. Almost before sunrise, I could hear the 

 pleasant song of the Redwing from all parts of 

 the wood, and during the day I came across 

 many of last year's nests of these birds. I 

 shot one, a Brambling, and a pretty pair of 

 Mealy Redpoles. The note of the Brambling is 

 similar to that of the Chaffinch, only more harsh. 



