CHAP. XXIII. RESULTS OF THE TRIP. 295 



the curlew sandpiper still remain a mystery. We added 

 several birds to the European list, which had either never 

 been found in Europe before, or only doubtfully so ; such as 

 the Siberian chiff-chaff, the Petchora pipit, the Siberian 

 herring-gull, the Arctic forms of the marsh-tit and the 

 lesser spotted woodpecker, the fellow-headed wagtail, and 

 the Asiatic stonechat. We brought home careful records 

 of the dates of arrival of the migratory birds which breed in 

 these northern latitudes, besides numerous observations on 

 the habits of little-known birds. Our list of skins brought 

 home exceeded a thousand, and of eggs rather more than six 

 hundred. 



The number of species which we obtained was compara- 

 tively small, the whole of our collecting having been done 

 north of latitude 65°. The Arctic regions are frost-bound 

 for eight months out of the twelve, and buried under a 

 mantle of snow, varying in depth from three to six feet. 

 During this time they are practically barren of ornitho- 

 logical life ; the small number of birds which remain within 

 the Arctic Circle forsake the tundras where tliey breed, to 

 find food in the pine forests at or near the limit of forest 

 growth, a few only remaining where the shelter of a deep 

 valley or watercourse gives cover to a few stunted willows, 

 birches, and hazel bushes. Practically it may be said that 

 there is no spring and autumn in the Arctic regions. Sum- 

 mer follows suddenly upon winter, and the forests and the 

 " tundra " as suddenly swarm with bird-life. Although the 

 number of species breeding within the Arctic Circle is com- 

 paratively small, the number of individuals is vast beyond 



