86 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



whortle-berries. I also surprised a Kestrel feeding on a young 

 Fieldfare ; a strong breeze was blowing, and a large flock of 

 Fieldfares and Redpolls passed overhead in great confusion. The 

 Buzzards were seen again, and the "rainbirds" were flying high, 

 calling "kakera." When about two miles from home we were 

 caught in a terrific hail-storm accompanied by thunder, lightning, 

 and fierce gusts of wind ; in the midst of it all I saw three Red- 

 throated Divers flying round and round, evidently enjoying it. 



Aug. 29th. We again saw the inseparable four buzzards, and 

 also several Dippers, Sandpipers, and Divers. 



Aug. 30th was spent in an investigation into the houses and 

 stores. In one of the three farmhouses which constitute Jackvik 

 was a manufactory of glue from Reindeers' hoofs and of lime from 

 Reindeers' horns. We bargained for the skins of Grey Squirrels 

 and sinews of Reindeers. The islands which lie in front of the 

 house are said to be a great breeding-place for ducks ; certainly 

 we saw a good many broods of flappers about them. The com- 

 monest duck about Jackvik, our host tells, us is the Teal (Krekke). 

 Capercailzies' tails are used for brushes, and we saw great quan- 

 tities of them in the storehouses. The House Martins were still 

 in the nest, but the arctic summer was so late that a great supply 

 of insect-food was still to be found ; one of the party saw an actual 

 rise of May -fly on Aug. 16 th. The Great Northern Diver occurs 

 here, but not commonly. I have not seen any Cuckoos here, but 

 our host tells me they are plentiful in summer ; the Swedes call 

 them " gauke,' ? the same word as our " gowk." 



Aug. 31st. We left Jackvik, and by an alternate series of 

 walks and rows, broken by spells of fishing and visits to Lapp 

 huts, we made our way to the first " Fjallstuga," or mountain- 

 refuge, supported by Government. Buzzards, Divers, Sandpipers, 

 and Wigeon were the commonest birds. One Lapp hut we 

 visited boasted a cat, said to be very expert in drawing Char out 

 of the water. At the Fjallstuga were five young Foxes, which 

 appeared to be crosses between the Red Fox and the Arctic Fox ; 

 four were very timid and kept chained up, but the fifth was the 

 pet of the house and seemed to take the place of a dog ; he was 

 great friends with the cat, with whom he kept up a continual round 

 of play : a more amusing or active animal cannot be imagined. 

 May-fly were still rising to-day, though in small numbers. 



Septi 1st, The Mai tins were still in the nest here. A very 



