2 
but it will be seen from Mr. Seebohm’s notes that it differs greatly in habits from both the Tree- 
and Meadow-Pipits. On examination of a large series of Pipits from various localities, I can find 
none which could be mistaken for the present bird; and thé question naturally arises as to where 
it retires for the winter; for it is only a summer visitant to the Petchora. Dr. Severtzoff speaks 
of Pipits intermediate between the Meadow- and Tree-Pipits found by him in Turkestan, and 
refers to examples of the latter which have the hind claw long and straight as in the Meadow- 
Pipit; and I cannot help thinking that these latter may possibly have been the present species. 
At present, however, nothing whatever is known respecting this bird except through Messrs. 
Seebohm and Harvie-Brown; and I am indebted to the former of these gentlemen for the 
following résumé of the information obtained by them :— 
“I first made the acquaintance of the Petchora Pipit on 16th June, 1875. My friend 
Harvie-Brown and I were drifting down the great river, stopping now and then, sometimes on 
the tundra, sometimes on one of the innumerable islands, to cook a meal or rest our crew, who 
found it heavy work rowing our clumsy craft with only one pair of oars. We had (no doubt 
about it) fairly got into the ‘land of the north wind.’ Fortunately the swollen river was running 
northwards at the rate of four or five versts an hour; but our steersman was always getting the 
boat out of the main current, and in spite of hard rowing we made slow progress. We had left 
Ust Zylma about a week after the great ten days’ march-past of ice was over. For the first two 
or three days the weather was hot with a fair wind, and we glided rapidly, with sail set, through 
a rich undulating country well clothed with pines of various sorts, birch, and willow. Then 
came the north wind, cold, with occasionally a pouring wet day. We crossed the Arctic circle 
on the night of the 14th, and on the following day were slowly pulling against a contrary wind. 
We cast anchor for the night on the bank of a low marshy island chiefly wooded with willow 
trees. The timber had gradually decreased in size since we left Ust Zylma, and the whole 
country was beginning to be flatter and more swampy. ‘There was also a considerable change in 
the birds. Ducks were as numerous as ever; but we seemed to have left the Smew and the 
Golden-eye behind. At Ust Zylma the Pintail was by far the commonest Duck; but now the 
Widgeon was the most abundant species, and the Scaup and the Black Scoter began to be 
common. We often saw Geese and Swans upon the wing; but we had scarcely reached their 
breeding-grounds. Although we were still two hundred miles from the open sea, Gulls and 
Oystercatchers had increased in numbers, and we saw the Arctic Tern for the first time. Terek 
Sandpipers and Temminck’s Stints now were common; and we occasionally saw a common 
Sandpiper. The Willow-Wren was still the commonest warbler; but the Blue-throat was 
rapidly giving way to the Sedge-Warbler. The White Wagtail remained frequent; but the 
previously abundant Motacilla viridis had become very rare, and WV. citreola became every day 
more common. Amongst the willows and birches the Lesser and Mealy Redpoles, the Brambling, 
the Redwing and Fieldfare, and the Little and Reed-Buntings were common. 
“The morning was cool, with alternate sunshine and cloud. I turned out of the boat at three 
and enjoyed a five hours’ ramble before breakfast amongst the willows, my india-rubber boots 
enabling me to cross the swamps with impunity. I had not been out long before I heard the 
note of a bird with which I was entirely unacquainted. It was some time before I discovered 
whence the song proceeded. I do not know whether the bird has ventriloqual powers, or 
