CHAP. XVII. LAKE WASILKOVA. 195 



had now five nests, which we were pretty sure were? those 

 of our new pipit ; they were entirely distinct from that of the 

 red-throated pipit. Instead of being composed of fine round 

 grasses they were made of flat-leaved grass, knotted water- 

 plants and small leaves ; in two of these were Equisetee. The 

 eggs in them were larger, more lark-like, a dark ring circled 

 the larger end, and they were all more or less mottled, 

 especially those of the lighter variety. 



Buffon's skua, we found, had been feeding upon beetles 

 and cranberries ; another fact worth noticing was that the ten 

 great snipes which we shot near Pustazursk were all males. 



The following morning proving^ fine we set off on an 

 excursion to Lake Wasilkova, which at high tide was but a 

 bay of the Petchora. The tundra inland was the usual 

 stretch of rolling moorland, swamp and bog, interspersed 

 with lakes and ranges of low sandy hills. On the swamps 

 we found dunlins, on the moors golden plover, and once we 

 saw a grey plover. In both localities we met the Lapland 

 bunting and the red-throated pipit, and the dry grassy hills 

 were haunted by shore-larks. On one of the lakes and 

 along the coast, we came upon Siberian herring-gulls ; long- 

 tailed ducks abounded on the stretches of open water, but 

 we failed to find a nest. We came to a spot on the shore 

 where a pair of peregrines had built their eyrie, but the 

 peasants had taken the eggs away for food. Under a low 

 willow bush we shot a black scoter as she sat on her nest. 

 Once we saw a hen-harrier beating up the hillsides, and 

 caught sight of a white-tailed eagle, as it flew overhead. 

 Among the willows in the low swampy ground we shot a 



