BIRDS MET WITH IN EAST FINMABK. 271 



fjeld we came across several scattered and isolated pairs breeding in 

 low birch bushes about two feet from the ground. One nest, on June 

 28th, contained a single egg, as also did another on the following day. 

 On visiting these two again on July 4th the first contained another 

 fresh egg, and the second three eggs, a day or so incubated : in spite 

 of the fact that, not knowing whether we should ever find them again, 

 we had taken the first two eggs. The nests were all lined with Willow- 

 Grouse feathers and willow- down. In the Tana Valley the bird was 

 much commoner, and one of the nests being situated near a farm was 

 lined entirely with chickens' feathers. 



Shore-Labk (Otocorys alpestris). — The only place where we met the 

 Shore-Lark was on the bare boulder-strewn tops of the fjeld on the 

 south side of the valley. Here, on the highest tops only, they were in 

 scattered pairs or family parties. On July 4th we obtained a young 

 bird in its first plumage, perfectly feathered. It is possible that some 

 of them were sitting for a second time, but prolonged searching and 

 watching failed to discover a nest. 



Dipper (Cinclus melanog aster). — A pair were seen on June 26th, 

 about half-way up the long rapid, and a single bird higher up on July 

 4th. There was a nest in rather a curious situation at one of the 

 upper pools ; it was built on the end of a birch-bough overhanging the 

 river, and, owing to the length and thinness of the bough, it was im- 

 possible to get at it except from a boat. 



Lesser Spotted Woodpecker (Dendroco-pus minor). — On June 27th, 

 while walking through the woods not far from camp, our attention was 

 suddenly arrested by a loud and clamorous alarm-note ; on looking 

 round we found it proceeded from a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, with 

 her bill full of grubs. In a minute or two she was joined by her mate, 

 who added his voice to the chattering. A short search revealed the 

 small round nest-hole, situated about ten feet from the ground in a 

 decayed birch. The birds were most anxious to drive us away, and 

 kept running up and down the naked boughs of some neighbouring 

 dead trees, constantly uttering their loud notes. On our retiring 

 a few yards they settled by turns just beneath the hole, and fed their 

 young by putting their heads alone into the nest. We often saw them 

 afterwards in the early morning collecting grubs off the dead trees right 

 in our camp. This is the only pair of Woodpeckers we saw, although 

 we found many old holes, and one or two quite new ones, which, how- 

 ever, had not been used. 



Great Grey Shrike (Lanius major). — On June 30th, a short way 

 above camp, an unfamiliar note was heard, something like that of our 

 Jay; it turned out to be the " schak schak " of a very excited pair of 



