64 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



sleet and snow I decided to remain at anchor. We landed after lunch to 

 investigate the low ground at the s.E. end of the island. When passing 

 the house I noticed a large quantity of black meat hanging up, and 

 learnt it was dried seal's flesh, preserved for sale to the Russian seamen. 

 Most of the Norwegians will not eat it even when fresh, although in 

 1897 we found it palatable, much better than either Guillemot or 

 Long-tailed Ducks. The family had caught 208 seals here in nets 

 during the winter ; and the remains of these carcasses still proved an 

 attraction to the Gulls. A number of Shore-Larks were feeding on 

 the manure heaps behind the house ; and we saw several other small 

 flocks near the shore. A pair of White Wagtails were also near the 

 house. When we reached the coast we came upon one of the wildest 

 winter scenes imaginable ; great snowdrifts twenty or thirty feet thick 

 lay in the lea of the bluffs and hills ; the level ground also covered 

 with snow except where the gales had swept it clear ; the sea cliff over 

 hundreds of feet of its surface a mass of icicles ; while below the swell 

 produced by the northern gale rolled in great waves on to the beach. 

 Very fine, but we had come to see birds and their nests, not icicles. 

 During our walk we noted a Raven and two Shags, Long-tailed Ducks 

 and Common Eiders, also some Meadow-Pipits. A flock of some 

 hundreds of Waders — very wild — were wheeling over the sea; I 

 believe they were Dunlins, and I shot one of that species on the shore. 

 It began to snow again directly after we returned on board and con- 

 tinued most of the evening. 



May 2)0th. — I had gone on shore after breakfast to take some 

 photographs, when a Russian steamer came into the bay and at once 

 sent a boat to the Expres. Soon after, the steam whistle sounded to 

 recall me. Going on board I found two head officials of the police 

 awaiting me, and desiring an explanation of our presence there. How- 

 ever, the letters that Governor Engelhardt had so kindly furnished me 

 with at once put all in order ; and we had a very pleasant hour's chat, 

 Kjeldsen acting as interpreter. One officer took considerable interest 

 in birds, and said he had many stuffed at his home in Ekaterina ; also 



