86 THE BREAK-UP OF THE ICE 



land, pollard willows grew, many of which had been 

 knocked down by the floating blocks of ice. 



It would be impossible to estimate the number of 

 ducks we saw. They seemed to fly over us by hundreds 

 and thousands. Small and large flocks continually passed 

 us on the wing. In the evening the shores of the Zylma 

 and a piece of open water opposite were almost black 

 with them ; sometimes they filled the air like a swarm 

 of bees. They were very wild, but the old pollard 

 willows gave excellent opportunities for concealment, 

 and a good shot would have made a heavy bag in a 

 short time. My companion shot seven in about an 

 hour : six pintails and one teal. Nearly all these ducks 

 were pintails ; we identified hundreds through our glasses, 

 and saw only a few teal. 



My companion identified a small flock of shovellers, 

 one of which flew quite close to him. He also distinctly 

 made out a pair of golden-eyes, which came within shot 

 while we were dining. Through the glass he also 

 recognised a wigeon. We also saw a few geese and 

 swans. We met with the greenshank more than once, 

 and had a fine view of a peregrine falcon. A small 

 flock of shore-larks and a few red-throated pipits, too 

 busy migrating to stop to be shot, nearly complete the 

 list of birds we saw in the open country. 



I spent most of my time in the woods. Three weeks 

 previously we had made a long round through them on 

 our snow-shoes and found them deserted ; not a bird to 

 be seen but a solitary marsh-tit or an occasional " hoodie." 

 Now, in the early morning, these woods were full of life 

 and abounded in interest for the ornithologist. In the 

 afternoon they were more quiet, and the interest was 

 not sufficient to repay the toil of wading through water, 

 snow, mud, and drift-wood. The commonest and noisiest 



