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Birds. 



way up the Baltic, and dated the 2nd of September, 1856. He says, 

 " Let me tell you now, whilst I think of it, that I have some reason for 

 believing that the waxwing makes its nest in good-sized fir-trees in 

 the month of June. I give you this hint in case I should not live to 

 give you more certain information ; but you remember that I am not 

 to return home without a wax wing's nest in my hand."* 



His next letter is dated " Muoniovora, Sept. 14, 1856," and after 

 describing his own doings and those of the friends I had made the 

 preceding year, telling me of the expected scarcity of food, and giving 

 the general results of the nesting season, goes on to say : — 



" I have still to tell you of Ludwig's expedition with Piko Heiki to 

 Sardio, on the Kittila River. It was early in June, and he had to 

 wade over Pallas-tunturi up to his middle in snow. Arrived at Sardio, 

 he found the lads there all at home, deep in dirt and laziness. He 

 soon extracted from them the information that a pair of birds had 

 been seen about, which they took to be c Tuka rastas; 1 and Ludwig 

 himself had seen such a bird, and this bird's egg was entered in my 

 list. * * * Ludwig immediately started off into the forest, and 

 sure enough he saw a bird which he thought was c Sidensvans but 

 he was not quite sure, for the end of its tail looked white in the sun 

 instead of yellow, as in your picture ;t but the next day, or in the 

 evening, it was cloudy, and Ludwig saw the yellow ; and now he had 

 no longer any doubt. He said he would give all the lads day-money, 

 and they must all search, even if it were for a week, till they found 

 the nest. They sought all that night and the next day till about mid- 

 day, [when] a lad called out that he had found the nest; and there it 

 was, with two eggs, about nine feet high, on the branch of a spruce. 

 * * * After five days Ludwig snared the old bird — a beautiful 

 cock ; and you may fancy with what pleasure I took it in my hand, 

 and saw that there were no doubts remaining. Indeed, 1 had before 

 been pretty confident about it: Ludwig had written that I might be 

 quite satisfied that it was the right bird. Martin Pekka had the picture 

 with him at Sodankyla, and as soon as he came back Ludwig com- 

 pared the bird with it, and made certainty doubly sure. The other 



* The division of the paragraphs indicates the omission of portions of the original : 

 I thought it better to leave the paragraphs somewhat unconnected than to supply the 

 thread of the narrative by any additions of my own.— E. N. 



f This picture was one of several coloured sketches of different birds sent to 

 Mr. Wolley by Mr. Ilcwitson and myself, to assist him in making known his wants 

 to the natives. 



