87 DAN MEINERTZHAGEN'S DIARY. 



nest, was not a foot from a fairly well-used 

 track. The hen bird on this occasion kept 

 circling round screaming occasionally, but at a 

 considerable height, not protecting her nest 

 with that courage which is attributed to her 

 when her nest is robbed. 



While we were sitting having coffee in a 

 Finn's hut on the way back, a Short-eared 

 Owl flew on to some sticks just outside. Here 

 also we got a nest of four young pine Gros- 

 beaks, fairly old. We arrived at Upper Muonio 

 at about 2.30 and after coffee started down the 

 river, with the sun shining, and very pleased. 

 On the way down I took four Merganser's 

 eggs under a small birch on the bank, so art- 

 fully concealed in the dead leaves, that 

 unless it had been for old Laati, I never should 

 have suspected one being there. We also took 

 a single Sand Martin's egg. 



The pine Grosbeaks are dear little birds, 

 and make a call like "joey." They stretch 

 themselves out in the sun with their heads 

 lying over the side of the nest, and their 

 crops distended, lying on the edge and sup- 

 porting them. I never saw such greedy 

 birds ; with their mouths chock full they call 

 for more, and scarcely take the trouble 

 to swallow it when they've got it. We saw 



