



324, Messrs. H. Seebohm and J. A. Harvie Brown on 
bog, how soon one of the great prizes we had come so far 
in the hopes of gaining would be within our grasp. 
After crossing over a tract of moor sloping gently inland 
some versts from the river, and which was comparatively des- 
titute of bird-life, raismmg a few Lapland Buntings and Red- 
throated Pipits, or an occasional Willow-Grouse or Dunlin, 
we came in view of a vast stretch of low hummocky tundra, 
its surface studded over with bright little pools and lakelets 
glancing in the sun, The low rounded hills beyond Vassil- 
kova form the boundary-line to this great plain; and further 
off a higher range, appearing blue in the distance, is to be 
seen in the direction of Stanavoialachta, some forty versts 
lower down the river. Dotted over the tundra,:as already 
observed, are tarns and round pools of water. These have 
overhanging peat- or green mossy banks. Curious hollows, 
apparently the dried-up beds of former lakes, occur also, 
having the same peat banks or mossy edges, the bottoms 
covered with long grass, marshy ground, thickets of Willow- 
scrub and stunted birch, and here and there a little open 
pool of water. Over the surface of the moor, where we found 
the birds breeding, are small patches of level black or brown 
peat-bog, which are destitute of vegetation in the centre, but 
covered with a species of yellowish brown Sphagnum round 
the edges. Crossing over these the foot sank to the depth 
of about 18 inches, and was then supported by the hard- 
frozen ground beneath. Winding about amongst these black 
bogs, like the network on the rind of a melon, are low narrow 
ridges, or wider plateaux, a foot or two in height, formed by 
innumerable hummocks of peat, covered with reindeer-moss, 
cranberries, and patches of the green leaves and red flowers 
of the arctic bramble (Rudus arcticus). A few plants also 
of the sweet-smelling Ledum palustre are scattered here and 
there over the ground. On these higher and drier ridges 
were the Grey Plovers’ nests—simple shallow depressions in 
the moss or peaty soil, lined with a small handful of broken 
twigs and leaves of the surrounding plants. This description 
may be held generally to apply to all the places where we 
found the Grey Plover breeding. They preferred these low- 




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