65 DAN MEINERTZHAGEN'S DIARY. 



May i8th. To-day we started on our return 

 journey, and had a very long day of it. 

 Starting at six o'clock from Peltorourma, 

 together with a Lapp who knew of an Eagle's 

 nest, we went up a hill behind the house, and 

 there was the nest in a crevice in a rock some 

 thirty feet from the ground. I scrambled up, 

 and, to my great disappointment, found it 

 empty, since, after seeing two Golden Eagles 

 soaring over-head, I had naturally expected to 

 find either young ones or eggs. 



But on coming away, another Lapp brought 

 me two eggs, which he had taken in April from 

 this very nest, and I had to pay 10 kr. each 

 for them, although they were unblown, perfectly 

 rotten of course, and probably never could 

 have been blown. 



Thence we made for the river Ormasjoki, 

 some 25 miles from Peltorourma, and we 

 arrived there about mid-day, having beaten 

 several swamps, and taken nests of Pintail, 

 Golden Eye, and wild Goose (I'm not quite 

 certain which the large Goose here is, bean or 

 grey-leg), and five Redwings' nests. 



At a Lapp's hut by the side of the river, we 

 made ourselves some coffee, and, crossing the 

 river, we ascended Aulastunturi (2124 feet). 

 Half way up I took two Rough-legged Buzzard's 



