218 О. HELMS. 
probably the common law for the whole of the bird world also applies, 
that birds return to the place where they were hatched, so that some 
individuals the next year — if one may put it that way — find the way 
there themselves. Of the two species the Meadow Pipit breeds most 
commonly; it keeps to the immediate vicinity of the Station, where 
its song is also heard. The White Wagtail is not seen every year and 
is only sparse in number. Both species are doubtless northern forms, 
but not circumpolar like those in the foregoing; they belong principally 
to more southerly areas, a great part of Europe for instance. 
This completes the number of small Perching birds breeding at 
Angmagsalik. To this group, although formed in a particular manner, 
belongs the giant among Perching birds: the Raven, which is common 
at Angmagsalik as elsewhere in East and West Greenland. It nests 
on shelves in the cliffs, collects in flocks in the autumn, stays during the 
winter, and only the most severe winter now and then succeeds in 
driving it away. In the winter-time it is probably the winged creature 
that is most frequently seen and breaks the monotony of the landscape. 
Of the land birds, besides those already named, the Ptarmigan is a 
common breeding bird, but in the breeding time it is not seen much; at 
this period it keeps to the mountains, often very high up, is mostly met in 
flocks in spring and autumn, in smaller numbers and irregularly in winter. 
Of land birds which breed there thus only remain the scarce Waders; 
at Angmagsalik there is a lack of the extensive lowlands which are 
found farther north as described by KoLTtHorr from the Mackenzie 
Gulf, Bay from Scoresby Sound, MANNICHE from Denmark's Haven. 
The species are few and the individuals only small in number; a com- 
mon breeder is the Ringed Plover, well-known in Denmark and frequently 
seen in West Greenland, very often met with in summer on meadow 
stretches in the Angmagsalik district and appearing in small flocks 
after breeding time. The second species is the Purple Sandpiper, which 
spring and autumn appears in small flocks and breeds in small numbers; 
as a rule it does not winter at Angmagsalik. As the third commonly 
breeding wader there is the Rednecked Phalarope, which breeds sparsely 
by the small lakes here and there in the district; in West Greenland it 
is very common, whereas on the east coast, apart from Angmagsalik, 
it has only been seen at Scoresby Sound. It is possible that one or two 
Turnstones, Golden Plovers and Whimbrels also breed, as all three 
are sometimes seen at breeding time; that they do breed there is not, 
however, definitely proved. Of land birds there only remain as breeders 
the Peregrine Falcon and the Greenland Falcon; that the first-named 
breeds here must certainly be regarded as a pure exception, and Petersen 
only mentions two nesting places for it. The Greenland Falcon, which 
is mostly of the Greenland race candicans, also appears very rarely 
