
the Birds of the Lower Petchora. 225 
lying boggy tracts to the higher and more undulating parts 
of the tundra, in which latter situation we afterwards found 
the Golden Plover nesting. 
Accompanied by Piottuch and the men, Harvie Brown 
walked on rapidly towards this seeming land of promise, 
keeping a sharp look-out for any species of Plover (because 
on the 18th Seebohm had shot a Golden Plover which had 
one of the axillary plumes splashed with smoky brown). They 
had not much hope or even thought, at the time, of finding 
the Grey Plover. When therefore a bird was seen about 200 
yards off to rise from the tundra, and heard to utter a Plo- 
ver’s whistle, Harvie Brown at first took it for one of the 
common species ; but he quickly saw his mistake when it again 
alighted somewhat nearer, and the strong contrast of the 
black and white parts of the plumage showed distinctly. He 
lost no time in putting the identity of the bird beyond a 
doubt by using his binocular. This was no sooner accom- 
plished than the bird again took wing, and, rising high in the 
air, joined four others which were flying in erratic circles high 
overhead. ‘These, as we afterwards came to learn, were the 
male birds. A reward was now offered to the men for the 
first nests they should find. Simeon set to work in a per- 
severing patient manner, threading with slow step and sure 
the mazes of the network of hummocks, his hands crossed 
behind his back, and his eyes fixed upon the ground. Gavy- 
riel, the tall Russian, stalked away over the tundra until he 
disappeared over a distant rise. After a good hour’s search 
Simeon was rewarded, and, waking up from his usual phlegma, 
cried out, “ Yaitsa-yaitsa! dobra yaitsa!’’ (“The eggs, the 
eggs! the good eggs”’); and Harvie Brown ran up to him. 
Simeon was kneeling beside the nest with a quiet pleased 
smile on his face. The nest contained four eggs, intermediate 
in appearance between Golden Plover’s eggs and Lapwing’s. 
Immediately after, Seebohm joined in, and together we feasted 
our eyes for a brief space of time. It was then agreed that 
Harvie Brown should remain behind and wait for the bird, 
while the others moved away to renew the search. The fol- 
lowing is extracted from Harvie Brown’s Journal :—“TI lay 









