Appendix II 195 



Footprints and droppings of geese were met with in large quantities everywhere on the shores of 

 the Gusinyya Ozera (Goose Lakes) mentioned above. 



On the same day, in the lower part of the valley of the Goose River, I started a goodly gaggle of 

 brent, and in the evening, at its very mouth, some 26 geese of larger size, which from their call I took to 

 be white-fronts [Anser albifrons), but was unable to get any. 



Next day, the 4th, on the lower course of the Goose River, I saw many flocks of geese, containing 

 from 10 to 40 individuals apiece, mainly Branta brenta, but there were also Anser albifrons and 

 Melanonyx. 



In crossing from the far side of the Gusinaya back to camp, I started one of these flocks from the 

 grassy terrace of the valley, but one young bird went on browsing the grass until I got within shot, and 

 only then flew up, but fell to my gun. This was a brent of the year's brood, with very considerable 

 white patches on the neck and typical in the colouring of the belly. The stomach, besides grass, 

 contained seeds. 



On my way back, on the 5th, I saw in the valley of the Peschanka several flocks of brent and a 

 small skein of bean-geese — 13 in all — a number not seldom recurring in their flocks. On this and the next 

 day we met, farther on, and in the valley of the Bugrina, skeins of bean-geese passing south. 



In the mouth of the Bugrina, on the following days — 10th to 13th — masses of brent arrived, and 

 kept usually near the shore. We more than once shot at them at 600 to 700 paces, but without success. 



By the middle of September there were very many brent-geese, both on the strand and the lower 

 reaches of the rivers ; while in the latter spots there were likewise many flocks of bean-geese, of which there 

 were also plenty on the lakes of the low tundra, where they usually gathered towards evening, raising a 

 loud cackle. 



On September 19 the Vladimir came in and took us away from Kolguev. 



When we approached Novaia Zemlia it was covered with snow. On September 23 it froze 

 hard in Moller Gulf, the day temperature fell to - 3 C, and the night much lower; on the 25th at 

 Matochkin Shar it reached - 3J C. According to the members of the Norwegian expedition, at night 

 the temperature fell to - io° C., and it was about a fortnight after almost all the waterfowl had left 

 that I found the river Matochka and the lakes indeed frost-bound. 



The Norwegians (Mr. Korin) showed me an example of Branta brenta, shot a week before from 

 a passing flock of a hundred, and also some specimens obtained in the neighbourhood during the 

 beginning of their stay at Matochkin Shar, undoubtedly of geese nesting there. Some of them were 

 Melanonyx segettim, others undoubted M. neglectus. 



The next day I was to come and choose some examples for my collection, by the kind offer of the 

 Norwegians, but a most violent storm kept us on Novaia Zemlia, and did not allow of communication 

 with the shore. 



According to the old resident Prokopi Vylka (one of the best traders and most intelligent of the 

 Samoyeds), five different kinds of geese occur here : — 



1. " Big goose " — evidently different species of Melanonyx. 



2. " Little black goose, varra " — evidently Branta brenta. 



3. " Norovoi, face and bill white, small " — probably Anser albifrons. 



4. " Bill black, tail fairly long, belly white, small, called segobya," — is not this Branta leucopsis, or 

 Branta brenta glaucogaster ? 



5. " Mottled, called labu" — I think Rufi brenta ruficollis, as Vylka notes its scarceness; but Mr. 

 Trevor-Battye gives the name " laboo " as Samoyed for Branta leucopsis ; he might, however, be mistaken. 



S. Buturlin. 

 January 16, 1903, Marienburg, Lifland. 



