142 ALEXIEVKA 



fresh, and some considerably incubated. During these 

 two days we found several nests of the fieldfare on the 

 island, a nest of the willow- warbler, and one of the yellow- 

 headed wagtail. The latter was on the ground, concealed 

 amongst the old tangled grass which the floods had 

 twisted round a stake. It was principally composed of 

 ■dry herbage, with one or two feathers in the lining. Our 

 two rarce aves, which we christened the Petchora pipit, 

 and the Siberian chifFchaff, were by no means uncommon, 

 but we failed to find either of their nests. Amongst the 

 nests, however, which our excellent coadjutors the Zyriani 

 brought us was one which we at once concluded could 

 belong only to the Petchora pipit {Anthus gustavi). It 

 contained five perfectly fresh eggs, larger than those of 

 the red-throated pipit, and similar in colour to those of 

 the meadow-pipit. The nest was somewhat larger than 

 that of the red-throated pipit, composed of more aquatic- 

 looking flat-leaved grass, and containing fragments of 

 Equisetum in the lining. Our collection of eggs increased 

 rapidly. We had now 145 sittings, numbering 681 

 eggs. 



OLD RUSSIAN SILVER CROSS 



