38 BIRDS OF IVIGTUT. 



In the Ivigtut valley, which is about one third of an Eng- 

 lish square mile in area, there hatched about eight to ten 

 pair in 1886, and in 1887, and in the following year about 

 twice as many. In numbers it bears the following ratio 

 to our other small birds : one to five of Saxieola oenanthe ; 

 one to twenty, Plectrophenax nivalis ; one to thirty, Acanthis 

 linaria. 



On the 16th of June, 1887, I chanced to find a nest (as 

 the- mother flew away), located deep down in the moss at 

 the foot of a willow bush. On the outside it was made of 

 stalks of herbs and of roots, while the inside was made of 

 white Ptarmigan feathers. It contained seven fresh-laid 

 eggs. On the 3d of July my dog caught a chick, that was 

 still scarcely able to fly. 



The parents are exceedingly anxious about their nests, 

 and one can hear the male bird's sweet but sad tloo, and 

 other notes of alarm, even while several hundred feet away. 



The song, which sounds best while the birds descend 

 slowly and without flapping of wings from on high, is but 

 short, and of an extremely melancholy nature, but contains 

 very pretty warbling runs, which are always repeated in the 

 same order, and in a comparatively slow time. It does not 

 sing very often. 



"WHEATEAR. 



SAXICOLA (ENANTHE. 



Is common, and builds its nest in all suitable places. In 

 1886 the first was observed on the 6th of May, and the last 

 were seen on the 5th of October, none having been noticed 

 for several weeks previous. In 1887 the first were seen on 

 the 12th of May, — and the males sang cheerfully, — though 

 on the previous day I had looked for them in vain. The 

 last were seen on the 25th of September. In 1888 the first 



