294 A SPRING- AND SUMMER IN LAPLAND. 



On these fells there are thousands of acres (we 

 may say many miles) covered with nothing but 

 loose, shingly slate and ironstone, and boulders of 

 erratic rock, which are most difficult to traverse ; 

 and here we always saw the snow bunting during 

 the breeding season, although when the young 

 could fly they appeared to draw down lower on the 

 fells. - . 



The Lapland bunting (E. Lapponica, Lin. ; 

 " lapsparf," Sw. ; "tschappis vuoolasch," Lap.) 

 appeared, to arrive later than any of the others, 

 and, unlike the shore lark, did not rest in the low- 

 lands, but went straight up to the fells at once ; 

 for I don't think we saw six examples at Quickiock 

 the whole spring ; whereas in the middle of June 

 they were literally swarming in certain places 

 on the fell meadows — so much so, that in one 

 night we took thirteen nests, from all of which we 

 shot the old birds. They seemed, however, to be 

 very local ; and it was long before we could dis- 

 cover their breeding place, for we never saw them 

 on the high fells. At last we found a low flat at 

 the foot of the highest snow-fells (but still, per- 

 haps, 2,000 feet above Quickiock). This was 

 covered with rough tussocky grass and patches of 

 willow bushes, and studded with innumerable lakes 

 and water-courses, and proved a rich tract to us — 

 a real " Tom Tiddler's ground" — for here we found 



