774 The Zoologist — June, 1667. 



Lapps put up, along the Tana River and in the woods, hollow trees, 

 about two ells high, wilh a hole in the side. They generally succeed 

 in getting one or another bird to lay eggs in them, and often three birds 

 use the same trunk; thus M. merganser, M. serrator and A. clangula: 

 indeed Mr. Wolley has found the eggs of Strix funerea and A. clangula 

 in the same trunk. When the bird has discontinued laying eggs the 

 Lapps empty the nest. 



79. A. glacialis. — On the 19th of June, 1853, a male of this species 

 was shot on the Polmak River, the change of plumage of which at this 

 time of the year was peculiar, viz. head nearly white ; neck, breast and 

 belly in complete winter plumage ; back in summer plumage ; the long 

 hanging wing-covert feathers white, excepting the two farthest back, 

 which were grayish brown. The Lapps declare that those that winter 

 here keep their winter plumage until late in the summer, whereas those 

 that come from the south have donned their summer plumage when 

 they arrive. 



80. A. Stelleri. — Is found here throughout the year up in the fjords, 

 more especially towards the spring, but farther out towards Vardo — 

 as, for instance, at Skal River and Koma River — in the summer. Its 

 eggs have never been found here, but I have heard from Lapps who 

 have remained on these rivers for the summer fishery, that this bird is 

 supposed to breed there. I have also heard it stated that it breeds to 

 the eastward, in Russian Finmark. That this bird's eggs are brought 

 commonly by Russian fishermen and skippers to the traders at Vardo 

 must, however, most distinctly be denied, and Schrader's statement 

 may probably be founded on what has often been named to me, viz. 

 that a Russ is said to have once brought eggs to Vardo which he stated 

 and Schrader acknowledged to be those of A. Stelleri. Nordvi in par- 

 ticular has had every year a good opportunity of seeing quantities of 

 the eggs the Russians bring, but these eggs have been, almost without 

 exception, those of Lari, Mergus serrator, Mormon fratercula, Anas 

 mollissima, Uria grylle and Sterna. 1 will not deny that it breeds 

 either in East Finmark or in Russ-Finmark, but it is certainly most 

 rare, and found in pairs singly, and the information respecting it is 

 most untrustworthy. Thus Nordvi has received from South Varanger 

 eggs of Mergus serrator which were said to be those of A. Stelleri : at 

 Valso I have seen eggs of A. glacialis said to be those of this bird. On 

 the 10th of May, 1858, 1 received two males which were much lighter 

 coloured than the young males I had before obtained, and which were 

 like females, excepting that the chin was black and the wing-covert 



