TROMSO TO VARDO 21 
pairs. We saw the first on the turf root of a hut by the 
sea. In vain we hunted for the eggs, and | began to 
feel it was no wonder that the old bushman had failed to 
find them, though he knew the birds so well, at Quick- 
jock on the fields. 
Once Hyland called to me that he had found a nest, 
and that the bird was on. But, putting his hand into a 
deep hole in the bank, he took out, not a sitting bird, 
but a very forward young one, who had been hiding 
there. This was a revelation, and afterwards we found 
two lots of strong-flying young birds among the shingle 
by the sea. 
June 12th.—The next day I visited the other island, 
Reno, by myself. When I called on Captain Lonnevig 
(the most northerly Commandant in Europe) he was 
very kind about this. He is the lessee of René, which 
belongs to the town, and gave me leave to go and see it. 
I liked Captain Lonnevig very much, he was so frank 
and genial; and I much appreciated the privilege of 
being allowed to prowl about René; for he is quite alive 
to the great interest of the island under his care. Indeed 
we had much in common that way. Only I wished I 
had been better up in the local flora, for he took the 
greatest interest in the flowers of René, which he said 
were curiously different from those of the mainland. By 
the way, Captain Lonnevig assured me that the king 
eider only came to Vardé in the autumn. 
