434 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



as if they were a flock of tame sheep ! We took up a position in 

 a dry river-bed which they would have to cross ; but we placed 

 ourselves badly, and had to scramble out and up higher before we 

 could could get a chance of a shot. Arnesen got another doe, 

 59^ inches, and we each wounded one, which we followed a long 

 way up a steep snow-slope ; but were finally obliged to give up, 

 which is always a thing one much regrets having to do. Dragging 

 the deer back this evening was very severe work ; we got down to 

 the coast about 10 o'clock, and found that the tide was out, and 

 that we could not get the boat afloat. Directly we stopped after 

 our severe labour we were perished with cold, freezing. We 

 returned on board at 11.50. Our previous day's explorations 

 had shown us that the east side of the valley was evidently the 

 best hunting-ground, and for this M. Rabot had made request : 

 his hunt to-day proved this supposition to be correct. His 

 party had seen a number of deer, of which he bagged four, and a 

 seaman with him eleven. Having only a small boat, they found 

 that four deer were as many as the) r could conveniently bring 

 back with them, and were obliged to leave the other eleven on 

 the beach to be fetched next day. M. Rabot reported having 

 seen about a couple of hundred Fulmars together, which flew 

 away south. I saw on the Fjord one or two Kittiwakes, three or 

 four Purple Sandpipers, a few Glaucous Gulls, and one or two of 

 the latter up the valley. While we were waiting in the afternoon 

 on the top of a ridge, watching the six deer, two of which were 

 eventually bagged, as recorded above, we saw a Fox come 

 cantering along up to where the deer were feeding, his action 

 being almost exactly that of a musteline animal (e.g. a Marten), 

 and he set to work to tear pieces out of a calf which was lying 

 dead close by. He presently saw us, apparently, though a long way 

 off, and scampered away ; presently he returned to his banquet, but 

 again took fright, and once more scampered off. 



September 17. — I started about midday with the same two 

 men, — it was useless to go earlier, as the tide would have been 

 out, — while Rabot's two men took the fangst-boat to fetch the 

 slain of yesterday. Rabot himself remained on board, as he was 

 knocked up. We landed nearly in the N.E. corner of the bay, 

 and kept along that side of the valley. We had not far to go 

 before seeing deer; a lot of eleven some little distance ahead of 

 us, besides others further on ; in all about thirty. I killed a calf 



