52 DAN MEINERTZHAGEN'S DIARY. 



I saw several Greenshanks and several small 

 Sandpipers on the river this morning. This is 

 the first day I have noticed any diminution of 

 the flood. The river has dropped six inches 

 during the night, 



The Ducks were swarming on the river early 

 this morning, and I had a good opportunity of 

 seeing some of the rarer ones. The Tufted 

 Duck seems to make a croak very similar to that 

 of a Crow. The Widgeon make, besides their 

 well-known whistle, a scolding noise. It is very 

 hard to put the notes of any birds, especially 

 Duck, into so many words. 



I got a clutch of Magpies (six) and Grey 

 Crows (four) to-day. Also a male Hawk Owl 

 and a nest of six eggs, two of which contained 

 embryos of about two days. 



The girl tells me this is a very early year, for 

 last year the snow and ice had not even begun 

 to go by the end of May. There is a thunder- 

 storm this evening. Wheelwright only mentions 

 hearing thunder once at Quickiock. 



May nth. The postmaster tells me he has 

 been unable to get me the Jer Falcon's eggs 

 this year because it is early. The ones that were 

 taken two years ago were taken at Enontekio. 

 He tells me of a man who has taken four 

 Passerine Owl's eggs, and I intend to buy 



