6 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



is that the bird laid two, and was then disturbed by a return of sharp 

 frost; after the frost passed away she commenced to lay again, 

 knowing the first were useless. The shells of two were cracked in 

 all directions; all five were slightly incubated. When these eggs 

 were exhibited at the B. 0. Club, it was suggested two birds had 

 laid in one nest, but the character of this species is not of that 

 amiable disposition which would lend itself to such an arrangement. 



In the evening a Finn came on board who could speak Norsk. 

 He told us it had been the most severe winter he could remember 

 in twenty-four years, and that the lakes up the river were still so 

 frozen that horses and sledges crossed safely. Consequently he felt 

 sure no Geese or Ducks had laid there yet. 



May 2gth. — We left our anchorage at 6 a.m. for Vardo. A stiff 

 s.E. breeze made the Uxpres so lively it was impossible to cook all 

 day, so we turned into the Tana fjord and dropped anchor at 8 p.m. 

 in Finkongkjeilen inlet, where we were able to get some dinner in 

 peace. This is quite an important little fishing station, and is no 

 doubt well adapted for that purpose, but it must be one of the most 

 dreary spots on earth to live in. Imagine a narrow creek, its entrance 

 facing the n.e., the rocks on either side rising perpendicularly for 

 two to three hundred feet, and forming almost as abrupt a termination 

 at the upper end. The sun can never shine into that place except 

 for an hour or so in the middle of summer as he passes the opening 

 between the cliffs. 



After calling at Vardo for coals and a ' few stores the captain 

 wanted, we proceeded on the 3 1 st to the island of Heno, the passage 

 from Vardo occupying four and a half hours. 



In the Arctic Pilot, p. 46, is the following description : " Ainovski 

 Islands. Bol (Great) Ainovski Island is 4 miles westward of Cape 

 Zernlyanoi ; it is about 4 J miles broad in each direction, 5 o feet high, 

 and covered with peat and moss. Mai (Little) Ainovski Island lies 

 south-eastward of Bol Ainovski, and a mile nearer Sredni ; it is not so 

 high, but is also covered with peat and moss. These islands produce 



