96 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



she came from. A male Willow-Grouse rose here, disturbed by the 

 shot at the Skua. We next struck across to some large hillocks of 

 peat which formed a conspicuous landmark ; several Redwings were 

 in the scrub near, but the only nest we could see was an old one. 

 On a small lake below was a Red-throated Diver's nest, with the male 

 bird sitting on two eggs slightly incubated. As we crossed the large 

 marsh surrounding this pool two or three small duck rose, which 

 I feel sure were Teal Nettion crecca ; we saw others afterwards, but 

 never succeeded in getting one. A Snipe was drumming over the 

 marsh. Other birds seen during the walk were Red-throated Pipits 

 (very common), Shore-Larks (common), Lapland-Buntings, White 

 Wagtail, Willow-Wrens, Rough-legged Buzzards, Golden Plovers, 

 Ringed Plover, Oyster-catcher, and Temminck's Stint. The only 

 other nest we found was a Shore-Lark's with four eggs ; but Kjeldsen 

 had been more fortunate. After putting things in order round the 

 tents, he had searched the bluffs near, with the result that he had 

 four nests of Red-throated Pipit, one of a Stint, and a Shore-Lark 

 with young, to show us in situ. I shot the Stint for identification, 

 and found it was a male Temminck, the third male on the nest 

 to-day. We began to think the ladies' duties were very light in this 

 part of the world. The young Shore-Larks were only a few yards 

 from the tents, and were a constant source of amusement during our 

 stay. Their parents appeared to be busy feeding them during about 

 twenty hours out of the twenty-four, chiefly on mosquitoes I believe ; 

 so there was little wonder at the rapid progress they made. On the 

 2 1 St their bodies were covered with pale ochre-yellow down, and the 

 quill feathers had just begun to show; on the 25th feathers had 

 developed over both their bodies and wings. The photograph of 

 them on Plate 32b was taken on the 23rd, and shows the young 

 feathers covering most of the back of the upper bird. When the old 

 bird — which I think was the hen — brooded them through the colder 

 hours of the night, she sat very close and allowed me to photograph 

 her when five feet off; but, alas, the exposure or something was wrong. 



