CHAP. X. 



WIDGEON. 



107 



we were dining. Througli the glass he also recognised a 

 widgeon.* We also saw a few geese and swans. We met 

 with the greenshank t more than once, and had a fine view 

 of the peregrine falcon. A small flock of shore-larks and a 

 few red-throated pipits, too busy migrating to stop to be 

 shot, nearly complete the list of birds we saw in the open 

 country. 



I spent most of my time in the woods. Three weeks 

 before we had made a long round through them on our 

 snow-shoes, and found them deserted ; not a bird to be seen 

 but a solitary marsh-tit or an occasional " hoodie." Now in 

 the early morning these woods were full of life and abounded 

 in interest for the ornithologist. In the afternoon they were 

 more quiet, and the interest was not sufBcient to repay the 



and Cuba. In the valley of the Pet- 

 chora we did not meet with this species 

 farther north than Habariki. 



* The widgeon (Mareca penelope, 

 liinn.) must be considered as a palse- 

 arctic duck, though its range extends 

 eastwards beyond Behring's Straits to 

 the coast of Alaska. In Great Britain 

 it is a common winter visitant, occa- 

 sionally remaining to breed. It also 

 breeds in the northern portion of tem- 

 perate Europe, extending northwards 

 beyond the limit of forest growth. In 

 Asia it appears to breed throughout 

 Siberia, passing through Turkestan in 

 spring and autumn on migration, and 

 wintering in Scinde, India, South China, 

 Formosa, and Japan. This bird is cer- 

 tainly the most abundant species of 

 duck inhabiting the islands of the delta 



of the Petchora, but we did not see 

 it farther north than latitude 68°. 



t The greenshank (^Totanus glottis, 

 Bechst.) is confined to the eastern hemi- 

 sphere, breeding in Scotland, but only 

 known as a spring and summer migrant 

 in the rest of the British Islands. It 

 breeds on the fells of Norway and 

 Sweden, and in Siberia south of the 

 Arctic circle. It passes through Central 

 Europe on migration, and winters on 

 both shores of the Mediterranean and 

 throughout Africa. It passes through 

 South Siberia on migration and winters 

 in India, the islands of the Malay 

 Archipelago, Australia, China, and 

 Japan. In the valley of the Petchora 

 we did not meet with it farther north 

 than Habariki. 



