A FLYING VISIT TO SPITSBERGEN. 87 



about it were large flocks of Brent and Bernacle Geese. The 

 latter were moulting, and therefore not able to fly, but they were 

 able to run like hares. I however got a hundred by concealing 

 myself in one direction while I sent round a man to drive them 

 from another. The flesh of the latter is coarse and ill-flavoured 

 compared with the more delicate meat of the Brent Goose." On 

 getting within sight of this piece of water I scanned it very carefully 

 with my glasses : there were some fifty Brents on it, and some 

 Eiders, but no Bernacle. Bond hid up on the sand-spit which 



I separates the lake from the bay, and I went round and drove the 

 geese over him. He killed three Brents out of the flock, and as 

 they passed close to him he was able to corroborate my view that 



j all were Bernicla brenta. Our experience in no way shakes my 

 confidence in the correctness of Mr. Lamont's identification. It 

 was two weeks later in July when he met with the Bernacle Geese 

 at this place, and it was July 22nd when Mr. Eaton obtained 

 them on a small lake inland from Wiide Bay. Probably it will 

 be found that the Bernacle Geese in Spitsbergen, like the Pink- 

 footed, nest inland, and bring down their goslings to the sea-side 

 lakes in the summer. Ascending to some little height, I noticed 

 that a broad and level valley, at this time of the year much bared 

 of snow, with a series of lakelets in it, extends for several miles 

 from the head of Advent Bay. It looked a likely stretch of 

 country to investigate, and much did I regret that there was not 

 time to explore it. I hope it may receive attention at some future 

 period. Near the lake a pair of King Eiders, the male in adult 

 plumage, passed me ; I secured the female, and on our return by 

 water to the yacht, we shot two more Somateria spectabilis, and 

 several common Eiders and Dovekies. We also noticed the first 

 Ivory Gull. 



On July 3rd we left Advent Bay, and anchored on the west 

 side of Green Harbour. About a mile and a half north of this 

 anchorage the land near the shore is low, and there are two 

 shallow pools of water not far from the beach. There we came 

 across two pairs of Grey Phalarope. This bird has a very pretty 

 habit — which I have noticed as well in other parts of the far north — 

 of standing in shallow water, and with its wings raised and meeting 

 above the back, skipping and flickering when taking its bath. 

 The Grey Phalarope in breeding plumage is a lovely bird, and 

 its bright garb seems quite out of place with the surroundings 



