78 THE ADVENT OF SUMMER 



swallow. On the 13th a strong gale from the north 

 brought winter back again, and drove away our newly 

 arrived visitors to more genial latitudes. The snow- 

 buntings and the shore-larks became very wild during 

 this spell of bitter wind ; towards evening it dropped, and 

 when we came upon a flock of the former, they were so 

 tame that they allowed us to walk about within ten and 

 sometimes five yards of them. The flock was composed 

 mostly of females ; one male that we observed amongst 

 them was in more mature plumage than any we had yet 

 seen. Birds of prey appeared in unusual numbers. We 

 saw hen-harriers, both male and female, numerous merlins, 

 which often perched upon the heaps of manure in the 

 fields, and, for the first time, a peregrine falcon. Piottuch 

 was fortunate enough to shoot a fine snowy owl on the 

 goose ground between the Petchora and the Zylma. A 

 hard frost in the night, followed by a cold east wind with 

 bright sunshine, was most unfavourable to the arrival of 

 migratory birds. We were deliberating as to what would 

 be the least unprofitable mode of spending the day, when 

 the Preestdff sent in to inquire if we would join him and 

 the postmaster in an excursion four and twenty miles 

 up the Petchora to shoot geese, and we accepted their 

 invitation gladly. We ordered a horse and sledge, 

 packed up provisions, tents, and wraps, and were soon 

 en route. 



About halfway we descried two swans on the snow of 

 the Petchora. We started our sledge in pursuit, and 

 approaching the birds in a spiral curve, we came within 

 range, fired, and missed. The birds, very large and 

 very white, flew about a verst across the river, and again 

 alighted. Here they were joined by a third swan. 

 Slowly we crept up again in a spiral curve within range ; 

 this time two rifles fired, and both missed ; a third time 



