IN NORTH-EAST RUSSIA. 



245 



May 12. Redstart. May 



„ 12. Meadow-Pipit. „ 



,, 13. Pintail and other Ducks. ,, 



„ 13. Peregrine Falcon. „ 



„ 14. Reed-Bunting. „ 



,, 15. Common Gull. „ 



„ 17. Golden Plover. „ 



„ 17. Fieldfare. „ 



,, 17. Redwing. „ 



„ 17. Red-throated Pipit. „ 



„ 17. Grey-headed Yellow Wagtail. „ 



,, 18. Lapland Bunting. „ 



„ 18. Whimbrel. June 



„ 18. Teal. 



„ 20. Willow-Warbler. 



„ 21. Wheatear. „ 



„ 21. Crane. 



22. Siberian Chiffchaff. 



22. Stonechat. 



23. Short-eared Owl. 



23. Blue-throated Warbler. 



24. B rambling. 

 24. Pine-Grosbeak. 

 26. Oystercatcher. 

 26. Ringed Plover. 

 26. Wood-Sandpiper. 

 26. Temminck's Stint. 

 26. Barn-Swallow. 

 31. Little Bunting. 



3. Cuckoo. 



3. Double Snipe. 



3. Terek Sandpiper. 



3. Black-throated Diver. 



This list is necessarily very imperfect. In addition to the difficulty of 

 ascertaining the date of arrival of rare or local birds, we had a still greater 

 difficulty to contend with. There can be no doubt that Ust Zylnja lies 

 somewhat out of the line of migration, which is probably determined largely 

 by the direction of the great valleys. Birds from the Mediterranean might 

 fairly be supposed to reach the Volga vid the Bosphorus, the Black Sea, 

 the Sea of Azov, and the river Don to Sarepta. The natural course of birds 

 from India and Persia would be to the Volga by way of the Caspian Sea. 

 The line of migration would probably follow the Volga to Kasan, and thence 

 along the Kama to Perm and Tcherdin, close to the source of the Petchora. 

 The course would then continue down the Petchora as far as its junction 

 with the Ussa. It would then be reasonable to conclude that the hardy 

 species, which migrate early, might have plenty of time to go round by Ust 

 Zylma ; whilst the later arrivals would leave the Petchora at Ust Ussa, and 

 cross direct to the tundra. For example, the Snow-Bunting, Hen-Harrier, 

 Merlin, Bean-Goose, Shore-Lark, Snowy Owl, Wild Swan, Bewick's Swan, 

 and Herring-Gull are probably amongst the earliest breeders on the tundra, 



2 L 2 



