CHAP. XVII. 



SWAN'S NEST. 



197 



to him on his airival. We therefore at once determined 

 that if we did not discover Bewick's swan in the neighbour- 

 hood of Alexievka, we would make an excursion to Stanavia- 

 .lachta for the express purpose of obtaining the head and 

 skin of the bird whose eggs we had just bought. 



The following day our Samoyede returned from his futile 

 excursion in quest of the swan. He had failed to secure her. 



A swan's nest. 



From the appearance of the trap it seemed as if the swan 

 had shufled up to her nest on her belly, after the manner of a 

 diver, for the trap had gone off and only secured a few breast 

 feathers. Simeon set off on a second expedition. The first 

 time the nest had been discovered the eggs were exposed to 

 view, this time they were carefully covered with down. Simeon 



