BIRDS OF RUSSIAN LAPLAND 149 



June i^th. — Many Bramblings and Mealy Redpolls had come 

 during the last two days ; some stretches of woodland were full of the 

 latter. We spent the day at the marsh visited on the 3rd, and found 

 more birds there. The Reeves' eggs were now considerably incubated. 

 Their positions varied, some being on dry ground, and others on bogs 

 where we sank above the boot tops. A Tufted Duck had nine fresh 

 eggs on very wet ground close to a small stream ; under the eggs was 

 last year's nest with the hatched out egg-shells. When returning we 

 noticed a Black-throated Diver on a small lake carrying its head low 

 as if trying to hide. Musters stayed behind to watch, and soon after 

 saw the other bird go on to the nest on the other side of the lake ; 

 there were two fresh eggs within six inches of the water. 



June i6th. — A range of hills on the opposite (western) side of the 

 lake, which rose above the limit of tree-growth, had aroused my 

 curiosity since our first arrival ; for they seemed to have great possi- 

 bilities of Dotterel, Buffon's Skua, and other birds, so I decided to 

 visit them to-day. One man said it was five versts to the first hill, 

 another eight ! Musters expressed a faint hope he should see us 

 again the next morning. Accompanied by two men I started at 2.1 5 

 p.m., reached the top of the first hill at 4.5, and the third at 5.15. 

 The first is 680 feet, second 710 feet, and third 1 1 10 feet above Lake 

 Pulozero. From the last I had a very fine view over many miles of 

 country from the hills about Kola to beyond Raz-Navolok on Lake 

 Imandra. Below were many lakes of all sizes, but not a bird on them 

 as far as I could see with my glasses, certainly not a Swan. The 

 scenic effect was heightened by some grand storm-clouds sweeping 

 over, and sprinkling us with snow at times. Reindeer had fed over all 

 the high ground and eaten the reindeer-moss down almost to the 

 roots. We worked those hills well, walking in line over the parts 

 above the trees, which ceased at an elevation of about 550 feet, but 

 not a bird did we see, though much of it looked like good Dotterel 

 ground. Other hills towards the north rose to a higher elevation, but 

 after the absolute failure these had proved, I did not feel inclined to 



