216 IN CAMP AT DVOINIK 



to avoid the mosquitoes, and were returning home to our 

 wrecked ship in a thick white morning mist. I stopped 

 behind to refresh myself with a bath, and afterwards 

 turned towards the Little stint ground. Just as I reached 

 it I was glad to see Piottuch emerge from the white mist, 

 with the intelligence that he had found another nest of 

 this bird, containing four eggs, about three versts off, 

 and had shot the bird, leaving the nest and eggs for us 

 to take. We walked on together a short distance, when 

 I heard the now familiar cry of a Little stint behind me, 

 a sharp wick^ almost exactly the same as the cry of the 

 red-necked phalarope, or that of the sanderling. Turn- 

 ing quickly round, I saw the bird flying past as if coming 

 up from its feeding-grounds. It wheeled round us at 

 some distance and alighted on the ground about eighty 

 yards ahead. We walked slowly up towards it, and stood 

 for some time watching it busily employed in preening 

 its feathers. By-and-by we sat down. It presently began 

 to run towards us, stopping now and then to preen a 

 feather or two ; then it turned back a few paces, and 

 lifting its wings settled down, evidently on its nest. We 

 gave it three minutes grace, to be quite sure, and then 

 quietly walked up to the place, and sat down, one on 

 each side of the eggs. The bird as quietly slipped off 

 the nest, and began to walk about all round us, now and 

 then pecking on the ground as if feeding, seldom going 

 more than six feet from us, and often approaching within 

 eighteen inches. It was a most interesting and beautiful 

 sight. The tameness of the bird was almost ludicrous. 

 We chatted and talked ; but the bird remained perfectly 

 silent, and did not betray the slightest symptom of fear 

 or concern, until I touched the eggs. She then gave a 

 flutter towards me, apparently to attract my attention, I 

 turned towards her, and she resumed her former un- 



