DAN MEINERTZHAGEN'S DIARY. 



down could be distinguished as the Smew 

 belongs to quite a different genus to Widgeon. 



(On arrival in England the eggs were satisfactorily 

 identified as those of Smews from the down.) 



June 2Oth. We bought a salmon to-day, 

 about 7 Ibs., and had him boiled for dinner. 

 I shot an Ortolan Bunting. A flock of about 

 twenty Cross Bill flew over me and I shot a 

 young one. I expect they were all young 

 birds, but this seems very early in the year for 

 them to be flocking. 



The weather is getting hot again, and the 

 mosquitoes are awful. I only wish there was 

 an entomologist up here collecting them. 



June 22nd. There's an awful mess on to- 

 day. Nilas has brought in fifteen young 

 Middle-spotted Woodpeckers. The brother has 

 brought three young dead Rough - legged 

 Buzzards, much too young to skin, and my 

 spirit jars are full. The young Woodpeckers 

 are making a dreadful noise, and it's pouring 

 wet, so there's not much chance of getting food 

 for ,them, and the young Hawk Owls are 

 screaming for food too. There are about fifty 

 eggs to blow, and another fifty to mark, several 

 birds to skin, and it is as much as we can 

 do to keep the boys out of the room, since 

 the din of the Woodpeckers seems to 



