1882.] HISTORY OF FRANZ-JOSEF LAND. 653 



Geese and Brent Geese were seen and shot on the chffs 700 feet above 

 sea-level ; but no nests were seen. 



At Cape Flora there was a very large loomery, also many Dovekies, 

 Rotges, Kittiwakes, Snow-birds, and Burgomasters. On the lowland 

 Snow-Buntings and Sanderlings were seen, but uo nests were found. 



The Looms lay their eggs on the bare rocks. The Dovekies and 

 Rotges lay them in the crevices of the rocks. The Kittiwake makes 

 a nest of mud and moss. The Snow-bird makes a rudimentary nest 

 of moss and a few feathers ; but it is of no definite shape. Each 

 species seems to occupy a separate part of the cliff; the Kittiwakes 

 generally build with the Looms, but always on the lowest shelves. 



The Rotges and Dovekies left about the first week in September ; 

 Looms were very scarce after September 10th. On September 22nd 

 a note in my diary says that a few Burgomasters, Snow-birds, Mollies, 

 Kittiwakes, Eider Ducks, Brent Geese, Snow-Buntings were still 

 seen, but getting very scarce, and that by the end of the month a 

 bird was a sight seen only very rarely. On October 13th two or 

 three young Snow-birds and occasionally a Molly or Burgomaster 

 were still seen hovering around the meat outside the house; and 

 even on October 28th a few Snow-birds, Mollies, and Burgomasters 

 came and fed on the remains of a Walrus, and remained a day or two 

 hovering about; but after November Ist I never saw a bird at all. 



On February 8th, 1882, a Snowy Owl was seen ; the first bird to 

 arrive. On February 18th two or three flocks of Dovekies were seen 

 flying to the N.W.; and on the 20th we saw a great number in the 

 water. 



On March 2nd a lane of water opened out, close to the ground-ice ; 

 and it was crowded with Rotges and Dovekies. March 9th, the first 

 Loom was seen ; but it was not until nearly the end of March that 

 they began to settle on the rocks ; and then they would only stop for 

 a few hours, and go away for four or five days. We were not able 

 to get up the cliff" and shoot any until April 16th. 



April 20th, a Snow-bird was seen, also a Falcon Hawk. April 

 22nd, two Burgomasters were seen. April 24th, Mollies were seen. 

 May 6th was the first time Kittiwakes were noticed ; and the small 

 land-birds were seen about that time. 



The Looms did not begin to sit on the cliffs until about June 10th ; 

 after that date the females remained almost always on the rocks] 

 keeping their places, ready for laying; and on June 20th three 

 Loom's eggs were obtained ; no other eggs were seen or obtained. 

 Although a great many Geese used to come on the lowland near the 

 pond, I never could find any signs of a nest. 



The following is a list of the birds seen on the land either in 1881 

 or 1882:— 



Loom (Uria brunnichi). 

 Rotge {Mergulus alle). 

 Dovekie ( Uria grylle). 

 Molly {Procellaria glacialis). 

 Snow-bird {Pagophila ehurnea). 

 Burgomaster {Larus glaucus). 



