Arctic Circle, and was one of the very many islands, wliich 

 we visited — low, flat, and varied with patches of bare rock 

 and tufts of coarse grass, with pools of fresh water, and not 

 exceeding a few yards in diameter. The nest was formed of 

 a considerable quantity of coarse dry grass, thickly lined 

 with feathers, and contained three eggs quite fresh ; one of 

 which, (from the pure whiteness of its shell) had evidently 

 been laid that morning. This was in the beginning of June, 

 and two months after the usual time of breeding, but 

 is readily accounted for by the unremitting persecution, which 

 every species of bird experiences, even in these remote dis- 

 tricts. Parties visit the islands ])eriodically, and plunder 

 them of every egg, frequently destroying even those which 

 have been too much incubated for their use, in order to secure 

 to themselves fresh ones only, on their next visit. One of 

 these parties had unluckily just preceded us, and thus ren- 

 dered hopeless our chance of procuring eggs, of which we 

 were in search. 



We were told by those annually in the habit of taking the 

 eggs, that they usually amount to four or five ; we repeatedly 

 saw the old birds passing from one island to another, but 

 always wary and unapproachable. Fig. 2. 



