148 BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 



who persisted in riding, even over the rough places where her master 

 walked, until she had been pitched head first into the snow once or 

 twice. 



June iith. — We found a AVhite Wagtail's nest to-day with five 

 eggs inside an old Fieldfare's nest built in a spruce near the river ; 

 also, those of two pairs of Grey-headed Wagtails with six and five eggs 

 in a marsh behind the house. The latter is shown in Plate 57. 

 Four yards from it on the side of a hummock was a Meadow-Pipit's 

 nest with six eggs. This bird was one of the commonest in the 

 district, and we found its nests constantly during our stay. Three 

 nests of the Reed-Bunting all contained six eggs. 



In the evening the telegraphist took me to some large marshes we 

 had heard much of, said to be five versts ofi"; but three hours and a 

 half were occupied in getting there. We had to cross a large lake, 

 with stony banks two to three feet high, in a boat which reminded 

 me of those we had suffered from in 1899. The marshes extended 

 a mile; and were generally dryer than usual. I fear the word 

 " marsh " conveys a poor idea to the general reader, who pictures a 

 combination of water rushes and other aquatic plants. The word 

 denotes in this part of Russia a tract of country which is too wet to 

 support trees, and is covered by a variety of mosses and low-growing 

 plants. Again we were disappointed, for there were only a few Whim- 

 brel, Snipe, Teal, and Wigeon. My guide said that during his stay in 

 the country he had never seen so few birds about as this year. One 

 of the men found a Willow-Grouse on twelve eggs, and shot her ; the 

 cock had a narrow escape. The man carried a i6-bore breech- 

 loader, and used it with effect on several occasions. During my 

 absence Musters had caught with a spoon bait three good trout between 

 five and six pounds each. 



June 14th gave nothing to record, beyond a Lapp Tit's nest with 

 young and eggs. We patched up the hole with bark, and the bird at 

 once returned to the nest. The Brambling's nest, found a week since 

 with one egg, had now seven. 



