BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 147 



night a mile from home, wet, and very glad to see us. Whilst we 

 were at dinner the man ran in to say a cock Willow-Grouse had called, 

 he was sitting on one of the other huts, and stopped to dinner — oicr 

 dinner — next day. 



June I ith. — This was one of those days when a Lapp hut with a 

 good fire is much more appreciated than the best of tents. I turned 

 out for three or four hours in the afternoon in the hope that Waders' 

 nests would be visible in the snow, but found nothing beyond a Red- 

 wing's with four young and one Qgg. In the evening the sun came 

 out and shone over a thoroughly winter scene, relieved only by the 

 green of the young birch leaves where the snow had fallen from them. 

 Plate 55 was taken at 8.15 that night, when the sun had already 

 begun to affect the snov/ on the roofs. Plate 56 was taken at the 

 same time, and represents the village church with part of what 

 we called the home lake behind it. The mountains around Lake 

 Imandra stood out splendidly in their white covering against some 

 dark clouds. Later in the evening there was sharp frost in spite of 

 the sun, and icicles a foot long hung from the eaves of the houses. A 

 male Snow-Bunting stayed about the place some hours, probably 

 driven out of his course by the storm, as there was no breeding-ground 

 for him within many miles. 



I lay sleepless in my hammock for hours, partly on account of 

 our Russian, who was the finest snorer I ever met or wish to meet, 

 and was just dozing off about 3.30 a.m., when a Lapp walked into the 

 room and seated himself on the hearth. He explained that our 

 thoughtful host had sent him with twelve or fourteen reindeer to take 

 us home, as he knew our food must be low, and feared the snow Avould 

 stop our return. All three of us were promptly out of bed, and after 

 a good meal which practically exhausted our supplies, we started in 

 three sledges at 5.15. This was a new experience for both of us, and 

 although there was not sufficient snow to cover the humps and tree- 

 stumps, we saw enough to learn that under proper conditions it must 

 be one of the most deliofhtful forms of travellinof. So Juno thouijht 



