BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 103 



between us catcliing flies and seeming to wonder why they had dis- 

 turbed it with all this noise. Alas! the camera was in camp. So we all 

 remained watching each other about ten minutes, when I waded round 

 to the nest ; the first bird leaving as soon as the way was open for it 

 to rise down the length of the pool, and the second when I got up to 

 the nest. I left the eggs, for I thought the birds deserved them after 

 the fright they had gone through, and besides the eggs had nothing 

 special in their markings ! Easy virtue. I have only once before seen a 

 Diver leave the nest, for it is among the most wary of birds ; but Mr. 

 Musters tells me that on one occasion he came upon a Diver which 

 was only eight or ten feet off, and remained on the nest for some time 

 while he and his daughter watched it. 



Hetley and Kjeldsen had found a Common Snipe's Gallinago 

 ccelestis nest with four eggs, a Ringed Plover's with four, and a Shore- 

 Lark's with four, all much incubated. Both to-day and previously we 

 have seen a number of dead Kittiwakes lying about, especially near 

 the mouth of the river. All were in full summer plumage and ap- 

 peared to have recently died. As the Expres was now in the offing, 

 and we had tramped over most of the country round, I signalled at 

 2.30 a.m. for the men to come for us; and after two or three hours' 

 hard work all was safely aboard again, the only thing forgotten as far 

 as I know being that unfortunate Buffon's Skua, shot by mistake on 

 the 2 1st, which we left hanging up in the ante-chapel where it 

 had been placed to dry ; I should like to have heard the remarks of 

 the Samoyeds when they found the skin contained only cotton wool. 

 We left them also a considerable collection of empty tins, &c., which 

 they would probably consider of greater value. 



We had spent a most enjoyable time on this Kanin peninsula, 

 favoured by good weather; a little cold at times, but that was a 

 blessing in disguise, as directly the sun obtained power, so did the 

 mosquitoes. The change in the vegetation during the four days had 

 been marvellous ; when we landed there was a universal tone of 

 brown over the country, now replaced by one of green. Flowers were 



