96 PEASANT LIFE IN UST-ZYLMA 



present use. In its stomach were several small fishes. 

 It weighed 15 lb., and cost 10 kopecks per lb. We 

 were told that later the price would be 5 kopecks per lb. 

 This fish sometimes reaches the weight of 60 lb. We 

 found it very nice eating, but failed to recognise its 

 boasted superiority to salmon. We acknowledge, how- 

 ever, that the cooking may have been in fault. 



In the afternoon we went out in the cold wind, not 

 •expecting to shoot anything ; but to our astonishment 

 we found a number of new birds in the town itself We 

 secured a wood-sandpiper out of a flock of four, and a 

 Temminck's stint, of which there were several. We 

 saw a common swallow twice, and shot a pair of ringed 

 plovers. We had also an excellent view of two oyster- 

 catchers. All these were new arrivals. Many green 

 wagtails were to be seen, and we shot four males and 

 two females. In the village we met a shore-lark, the first 

 we had seen for many days in the streets. 



The unfavourable-looking day proved one of the 

 most interesting we had yet had. 



OLD RUSSIAN SILVER CROSS 



