86 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



side of a hillock amongst crowberry plants, which is the usual position 

 selected by this species. I was surprised not to find more birds about, 

 for this tract of land was covered with similar hillocks, moss-grown 

 stones, dwarf sallow, birch, and hollows filled with little pools of water ; 

 — a very " birdy- looking " stretch of country. After crossing it we put 

 up a pair of Snow-Buntings from a large mass of loose rocks, but a 

 long search failed to reveal their nest. A Snipe was drumming over 

 a marsh near, the first seen this year. When coming out we had put 

 up a Dotterel on the hill above camp ; and thinking it was the watch- 

 ing, not the sitting bird, we left it till our return, when we soon found 

 the latter and one egg. The nest was close beside a stone twice the 

 size of a man's head ; an unusual thing, as these birds seem to prefer 

 an entirely open space. (This statement is at variance with that of 

 the late T. C. Heysham, quoted in the 4th edition of " Yarrell," p. 248, 

 who says the birds usually select a site near a stone. I can only say 

 that of the twelve or fourteen nests I have seen, the above was the 

 first in such a position.) We left that egg for the clutch to be com- 

 pleted, and when we next visited it the village boys had forestalled us. 

 This was the only egg of the Dotterel found this year. 



The first flowers of the marsh marigold were seen on the 12 th. 

 To-day they are opening in all sheltered positions, and one piece of 

 white saxifrage is out on the hill. 



Jime 16th. — Leaving camp at 10 p.m., we crossed the river and 

 went by a new line of country to Lake Ukanskoe. The only item of 

 interest on the way there was a Red-throated Diver's nest with two 

 eggs, the first this year. On reaching the lake we walked three- 

 quarters of a mile farther up toward the head than the point pre- 

 viously reached, and were rewarded by finding a colony of ten to 

 fifteen pairs of Fieldfares, a bird not seen in this district in 1895. 

 All the nests found contained six eggs, and in those eggs taken chicks 

 were just formed, showing that the whole colony had begun to breed 

 at the same time. One clutch are the smallest eggs I ever saw, and if 

 the bird had not been shot I should have said they were those of the 



