30 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



respecting the Arctic life of one of England's leading ornithological 

 discoverers. 



Johan took us a long walk over the hills, during which we 

 visited three good-sized lakes, the first 300 feet above sea-level, the 

 second 400 feet, and the third not more than 100 feet. All three 

 lakes were said to contain much fish, and many Ducks to nest round 

 the second in favourable years ; but at the time of our visit all three 

 were still covered with heavy ice, and most of the hills surrounding 

 them by deep snow-drifts. Johan walked out forty yards on the 

 lowest lake to pick up a Long-tailed Duck I had shot. And this on 

 June 24th ! Truly a most unfortunate season for a voyage of ex- 

 ploration (Plate 10). We found to-day the first nest of the Blue- 

 throat, with four eggs. It was placed on a bank facing south, and 

 was made of moss outside, well lined with fine grass. Another first 

 record was a Mealy Redpoll's nest with one egg, so that the small 

 birds were making an effort to build in spite of the season. The 

 only other birds noted during the walk were Whimbrel and Golden 

 Plover. 



In the evening Johan came on board for some plaster for his 

 wife's leg, a cut having gathered and made a nasty place. I sent a 

 supply of boracic ointment as the least likely to cause further mis- 

 chief, which is the great point in amateur surgery. We had an 

 interesting time at night watching the birds on the sand-bars at low 

 tide ; among them were four or five male Goosanders and a pair of 

 Godwits, which we believed to be the Bar-tailed, Limosa lapponica. 



The day had been beautiful, with bright hot sun and scarcely a 

 cloud till I a.m., the first really fine day of the season. As Mid- 

 summer Day was already past, it may be worthy of note that during 

 the last three days we had seen three flowers, and a small piece of 

 birch, growing over a warm rock, had green leaves ; other vegetation 

 showed scarcely a sign of life. And this was not Grinnell Land, but 

 lat. 69° 25'. 



June 2^th. — The morning was bright, with a n.e. wind. Leaving 



