BIOLOGY LIBRARY

TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST
IN NORTHERN EUROPE

TWO NEW BOOKS OF
TRAVEL AND DESCRIPTION

Travel, Climbing, and Exploration in Siberia.

By SAMUEL TURNER. With more than 100 Illustrations
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Russia under the Great Shadow.

By LUIGI VILLARI, Author of "Giovanni Segantini,"
"Italian Life in Town and Country," &c. With
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LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN.

Frontispiece to FoZ. J.

Travels of a Naturalist
in Northern Europe

Norway, 1871
Archangel, 1872
Petchora, 1875

BY

J. A. HARVIE-BROWN, F.R.S.E., F.Z.S.

> i

MEMBER OF THE BRITISH ORNITHOLOGISTS*
UNION, ETC.

Joint Author of ''Fauna of the Moray Basin1 and
1 A Vertebrate Fauna of Orkney ; '

AND

Author of'-A Vertebrate Fauna of the N.W. Highlands and Skye*

WITH COLOURED PLATES AND OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS
AND 4 MAPS

VOL.. I

LONDON: T. FISHER UNWIN
PATERNOSTER SQUARE. MCMV

A/

v. (

BIOLOGY
R
6

BIOLOGY LIBRARY

(All rights reserved.

s

Preface

IN the following narratives of three visits paid to the
northern parts of Europe, I have made no attempt to
rewrite or clothe in new phraseology my original journals.
Therefore, any claim they may have upon those of the
public who may be disposed to read them is their simple
journalistic form and continuity of events — just as they
occurred ; just as they appeared to me ; and just as I
wrote them down at the close of each day.

At the times my companions and I visited these
countries, they were considered as being amongst ' the
remoter regions of the earth/ unless perhaps Norway
be excepted ; for even Wolley and other British collectors
had not penetrated so far eastwards as the White Sea,
nor collected steadily on the Delta of the Dvina.

For many years I had studied the collecting experiences
of the late Mr. John Wolley, and, as early as 1865, I had
possessed treasures of his finding, which had been placed
in the market, through Mr. Baker at Cambridge ; and a
friend and myself secured the first selections from that
mine of oological wealth.

I had also treasured up in memory and in notebooks,
etc., many sentences of Wolley 's writings, regarding the
discoveries he had made, and about those which might

886867

vi PREFACE

come to be made ' by some younger man than himself East
of the White Sea.' Amongst those, he mentioned the
eggs of the Little Stint and Grey Plover. For years, I
gathered up all the information I could lay hands upon,
which bore directly or indirectly upon these more distant
hunting-grounds. I dreamed of them by night and even
betimes by day.

In 1871, but not till then, my first preliminary canter
was made in the charming companionship of my friend,
the late Edward B. Alston, to Norway. Then more
dreams were dreamed, and even future plans plotted out,
and in the same way more accumulations of preliminary
materials were made.

Amongst these, plans were formed to revisit the fringe
of Wolley's country, and work eastward into the Kola
Peninsula ; and we were greatly assisted by many kindly
Brethren of the B. 0. U.— Professor Newton, H. E.
Dresser, and others. But that dream proved strongest
which repeatedly beckoned us and said : ' Eastward ;
further eastward ; ' and at last, the Delta of the Dvina
and Archangel — ' East of the White Sea/ was decided
upon as one step at least in the right direction ; and in
1872, Alston and I were again afoot, this time among the
many islands of the Dvina Delta ; and many happy weeks
were spent there. But ' Eastward still,' only rang louder
in our ears or postured in our dreams, when we seemed
at last, merely to touch the fringe of the nesting distribu-
tion of the Little Stint, by obtaining a specimen or two
in full breeding plumage on the furthest outer islands of
the Delta. Ah ! only passing migrants going ' Eastward
still ' !

Again, eagerly we collected scraps of information at
all hands — good, bad, indifferent ; and dreamed again.

But not till 1875, were my dreams brought to some
extent at least to fruition. In 1874, an old and trusty

PREFACE vii

friend and schoolfellow — we had bird's-nested together as
boys and as men — were on the eve (literally) of starting
from Charing Cross Hotel for the far Fetch ora — when
the door — so to speak — was closed in our faces ! A
telegram from Archangel said : ' Too late — roads broken
up.'

Next morning saw us off for ' the land beyond the
wood,' and the ornithological results of that most
enjoyable visit to Transylvania were recorded in the
pages of the ' Ibis ' for 1875. We had bought all our
outfit suitable for far north-eastern travel. We made it
serve for a very different climate ; but much repacking
and alteration had to be performed at the last moment
on arrival there.

But in 1875, Seebohm and I went 'Eastward still.'

Not desiring to undergo many little annoyances and
inconveniences of travel in Kussia, which Alston and I
had experienced, for want of authoritative papers, etc.,
this time the very best of introductions possible to be
obtained were provided.

This entailed several visits to the Russian Embassy in
London, a part of the work connected with our start which
devolved upon me. These more formal visits had again
to be repeated, when we interviewed the Minister of the
Interior at St. Petersburg; but I need not enter here
into further detail. Suffice it to say, I was courteously
received, welcomed, encouraged, and our views forwarded
in all things; and most gratefully, we remember and
acknowledge that kindness, and the ease with which
eventually we travelled through the vast dominions of the
' Great White Tzar.'

Of the results of that expedition it is not for me to
enlarge, further than the facts and sequence of events
show, as they appear in these pages. I may only add—
no account of the two first Northern Trips has appeared

viii PREFACE

before, though a good many of Alston's and my notes
appeared in the then current Parts of Dresser's ' Birds of
Europe,' for both Norway and the White Sea ; and a
short paper appeared in the ' Ibis ' on the Birds of
Archangel, etc., by Alston and myself.

Of the two Kussian journeys, the first was undertaken
entirely in the summer months ; but the second was
travelled in the late winter, under — needless to say —
totally different conditions and aspects, as perhaps a few
of our illustrations may be found to indicate.

And now, perhaps, last if not most imperative, I
believe some apology to that portion of the public and my
friends, who may deign to peruse these after-date
narratives, is due ; and possibly one little word may
be attempted of doubtful justification.

The lapse of years between the dates, 1871, Norway,
1872, Archangel, and 1875, Petchora, and the present
day is great, and must be the theme of my apology.

Justification I personally doubt — but I have been
encouraged — wisely or unwisely, it is not for me altogether
to say, ' to do this thing ' — and the reason amongst
others given, was, the very antiquity of the relation !

Mr. Henry Cook, lately H.M. British Consul at
Archangel, to whom at different times, I had, at his re-
quest, sent extracts from my old journals, and my collected
information concerning the Government of Archangel,
strongly urged me to publish. * Because,' he said : ' they
contain matters of much interest connected with the
Archangel Government, as it was known thirty years
ago.' Other friends nearer home who had seen the
journals in their original condition also advised it. More
I cannot say. But is this justification ? I doubt it !

There is a soup in Kussia — a vegetable soup — with
lumps of ice in it, called * Stchee.' There is another
equivalent, but without the extra ' filip ' of the ice ; in

PREFACE ix

Scotland, called ' Cauld-kail.' When this is heated up, it
becomes ' Cauld kail het again ; ' which, being interpreted
into ' English language as spoke,' is the equivalent again
of ' Stale news/ I have thought it the right thing to do
to mention these things in apology for serving up such
remnants from the high table, and — from at least one
point of view — offering such iced bouillee.

I have no idea in this place of bringing ' down to date,'
events which have occurred there since ; but I may be
allowed to mention, that in 1876, I received from Captain
Wiggins, of Sunderland, an invitation to accompany him
to the Yenesai. I had been for some years in very regular
correspondence with him before 1875. Alas ! due to
family reasons, I could not go with him ; but I did what
I considered the best thing for the purpose of furthering
the interests of Ornithology, and that was to wire to
Captain Wiggins as follows : ' Can't possibly. Wish I
could. Wire Seebohm, Sheffield. He will go.' And I
wired to Seebohm also.

Now let me say one word of thanks. The successes of
our journeys to a little known and remote part of Europe,
I consider were greatly due to the kindly help and further-
ance of our plans by those in high places and official
positions in London and in Russia. My reception at the
Embassy by an A.D.C. of Count Schuvaloff was most
cordial. The only little word of warning which he gave
me was, just as he was saying ' good-bye ' and ' good
luck ' — ' Now, Harvie-Brown,' he said, with a smile,
' don't take too much English powder into Russia ;' to
which, likewise with a smile, I replied : ' Dear sir, we
will just take as much as we require.'

However, there is one thing I feel sure of, it is not
best to travel in Russian territory with commercial intro-
ductions only, if one desires to avoid many minor
unpleasantnesses, and possibly some bigger ones,

x PREFACE

These facts I have some cause to know about, from the
experiences of two journeys. Though in neither of them
did we suffer really serious inconveniences, still they were
in many respects in striking contrast in small things ;
and many small things make it big in time, and in
contrasts between comforts and discomforts. Vale !

Contents

PAGE

NORWAY, 1871 .... .1

APPENDIX. — List of Birds Observed 105

ARCHANGEL, 1872 . . .125

Introduction ..... 127
Narrative . . . . . .137

APPENDIX A. — Full List of the Birds collected around
Archangel in 1872, by E. E. Alston and J. A.
Harvie-Brown ..... 183

APPENDIX B.— Full List of Eggs Collected . . 199

APPENDIX C. — List of Birds Collected with Young,
Birds, Nests, and Eggs in Separate Columns . 204

APPENDIX D. — List of the Barer Birds in the Museum
at Archangel ...... 206

PETCHORA, 1875 . ... 211

PART I
Journey to Ust Zylma ..... 213

List of Illustrations

POBTKAIT OF THE AUTHOR . . . Frontispiece

PROFESSOR ROBERT COLLETT (1871) . . Facing p. 4

OLE J. LYSNE (1871) . . . . „ 43

IGNATI N. Q. PIOTTUCH ERNST CRAEMERS —

J. A. HARVIE-BROWN CARL CRAEMERS —

JACOF GREGOROVITCH — E. R. ALSTON—

NICHOLAI GREGOROVITCH (1872) . ,, 127

MADAME LEITZOFF'S HOUSE, ARCHANGEL . ,, 147

THE FOREST IN SUMMER . . . ,, 160

OSPREY'S NEST ON BROKEN-TOPPED SPRUCE FIR,

NEAR SUZMA, ONEGA . . . ,, 175

SOLOMBOLA, THE PORT OF ARCHANGEL . ,, 176

OUR FRIENDS (1872) ARCHANGEL — IGNATI N. Q.

PIOTTUCH — C. CRAEMERS ERNST CRAEMERS . ,, 182

HENRY SEEBOHM .... „ 214

ON THE WAY TO ME ZEN (WINTER) NEAR UST

PINEGA ..... ,, 220

xiii

xiv LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

ON THE ROAD TO MEZEN (SUMMER) KULOI RIVER Fating p. 230

ON THE DVINA RIVER (SUMMER) NEAR UST PINEGA „ 246

VIEW IN PINEGA STATION HOUSE . .. ,, 249

MEZEN . . . .. ,, 256

MAPS

NORWAY . . . . ,, 124

ARCHANGEL AND THE WHITE SEA 210

NORWAY

1871

VOL. I.

1871

May 5.

ON Friday, the 5th of May, 1871, Edward K. Alston
and I left Granton about noon on board the ss. Scotia,
bound for Christiania, and came in sight of the coast of
Norway about Lycter. Gannets were the only birds we
saw, the first about noon. About 4 p.m., when just in
sight of land, a Meadow Pipit and a female Wheatear
came aboard. During Sunday, May 7th, we passed along
the southern coast of Norway, and entered the Christiania
Fjord about half-past 1 o'clock p.m. Here we observed a
flock of about forty Common Scoters, not yet off to their
breeding haunts in Valders, etc.

We landed late in the evening, and put up at the Hotel
de Scandinavie, where we supped on Salmon, Caper-
caillie, and Norsk 61 (beer). Some half-dozen different
kinds of cold viands were set before us, amongst which
we found some raw sausage to be far from unpalatable.

May 8.

On Monday, May 8th, we made various calls — on Mr.
Bennett, to arrange for our journeyings ; on Prof. Collett,
and at the Museum, which is very good.

In the town we saw the Continental White Wagtail on
the roofs of the houses and in the streets, also a nest like
that of a Magpie in a tree in one of the gardens. These

4 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

seemed to be common, as we saw several afterwards
during a drive we took to Frognor Soeter. This drive
was up a high wooded hill overlooking Christiania, wind-
ing all the distance amid pine forest, from the trees in
which hung long bearded lichens, streaming from the
direction of the last prevailing winds. There was deep
snoW; alHhrpi^gh the forest, and it was with great diffi-
culty in pne^ or two places that we could get the wheels of
cur little spring-cart through. Near the outskirts of the
town we saw for the first time a pair, $ and $ , of the
Pied Flycatcher. They were very tame, sitting close to
us on the railings of a private garden. In the forest we
saw one pair of Hazel Grouse, which flew up close to the
road as we were ascending ; also Mavises, Chaffinches, a
female Wheatear, and we heard a species of Tit, not, I
think, the Marsh and Hooded Crows, in which I thought I
noticed a faint rosy flush of colour, as remarked by Smith
in the Zoologist. From the Soeter we had a magnificent
view (udsigt) of the Christiania Fjord and town. We saw
several Thrushes close to the Soeter.

May 9.

We spent Tuesday, the 9th of May, in packing our
luggage, shopping, and a second visit to the Museum in
company with Prof. Collett.

May 10.

On Wednesday, the 10th of May, we left Christiania at
eight o'clock by rail for Eidsvold, with through tickets for
ourselves and carioles to Gjovik on the Miosen Lake.
We passed through an uninteresting clay and sand
country, crossing and recrossing a small river full of snow
water. At eleven o'clock we got on board the steamer
Kong Oskar, and arrived at Gjovik at about four o'clock.
On the lake we saw large flocks of Goldeneyes and some
Eed-throated Divers, and on the river below it Sand-

PROF. ROBERT COLLETT (1871).

To face page 4.

2V OR WA Y 5

pipers, five together. Hooded Crows were common,
Magpies, flocks of Fieldfares, and three Ked-throated
Divers close to the village of Hammer. The scenery of
the Miosen Vand does not come up to that of many of
our Scottish lochs, and is somewhat tame and uninterest-
ing. There was much snow lying on some of the wooded
hills, scarcely any on others.

At Gjovik we made our debut in our carioles, and drove
one Norsk mile (which is equivalent to seven English
ones) to Mustad, which we did in about an hour and
twenty minutes, but could have gone faster had it not
been for another slow horse and cariole in front, by which
a young officer, Lieut. Briiner, of the 2nd Infantry Eegi-
ment, was posting on to Skoien. We found him extremely
civil, and he spoke English. He is also a student in the
University, and seems acquainted with the Latin names
of various birds. He is going to shoot Black Game at
Frydenland, and afterwards to join a party of recruits.
Any child could have driven our little ' Heste,' so easy is
it ! On our drive we saw but few birds. A Brambling
was recognised by the militia officer.

At Mustad we took a walk with the stick guns before
supper, but only shot a Yellowhammer. We saw a
Kestrel, Chaffinches, Robin, and Sparrows. The Magpies
always seem to prefer to build in the close vicinity of
houses. We had a capital supper, including some most
original cheese, just like fine brown soap in appearance
[' Gede-ost '] , but, as Alston put it, ' very goode meate.'

Mustad is a good station. All about it the country was
so deep with snow that it was impossible to go into the
woods even to shoot specimens, let alone nesting. The
fact is that we were at least a fortnight too soon, but we
cannot now help that.

Herr Collett most kindly gave us a letter of introduc-
tion to Dr, Printz, who lives near Slidre, on our route,

6 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

and he also gave us various useful hints as to the mode of
breeding of the Picidce and other birds. He himself goes
this season to Nordland to collect.

Our Norsk sentences we find useful, and we may find
them more so when we get away from places where nearly
every one speaks English.

May 11.

On Thursday, the llth of May, not finding Mustad to
our fancy as a locality, we left at 8 a.m., and drove the
first stage to Lien. On the way we had the great good
luck to see a Northern Jay, which we could have killed
had we had the big gun out. He settled in a tree and
allowed a close approach, then flew downwards and into
the forest. We heard and saw great numbers of Bramb-
lings, but they were not nesting. They were wild, and
perched high up. One fine old cock with rich black head
gave us, however, a close inspection before flying off, and
we returned the compliment.

At Lien we stopped two or three hours, and went out
with the stick-guns in an open part of the forest in which
there was comparatively little snow, and in which Alder
and Birch, principally the latter, were growing. Here I
shot a Fieldfare, a Kedwing, and a Whinchat, and Alston
shot a fine Wryneck. The latter when wounded twisted
its neck in a very characteristic way, and tried to bite.
The Fieldfares and Kedwings are not breeding, but the
latter are in full song, which is quite clear and distinct
from that of the Thrush. Bramblings were plentiful
here, but most unapproachably wild. I missed one or
two with the big gun (Alston's breechloader). This
station has every appearance of being a good one for
birds.

After bread and cheese and milk (no ale was to be had)
at Mustad, we drove on to Skoien, about nine English
miles, and down hill almost all the way, Mustad being

NOR WAY 7

1,760 feet above sea-level, and Skoien only 470. We
passed the end of the Rands Fjord, and the road was
good all the way except for a little bit near Lien. The
difference of climate of the two places is very marked,
still there is a good deal of snow in patches about Skoien,
and the Eands Fjord is still frozen. The scenery, too,
improved, becoming wilder and rockier. For the present
we must fight shy of all places above 500 feet in elevation.
Skoien is prettily situated, with a tolerably large river
running past it into the Kands Fjord, and with wooded
rocks rising behind the house.

We saw two Magpies' nests from which the birds flew
out, but we did not disturb them, as the people are very
fond of them and like to have them building near the
houses. I shot a $ White Wagtail close to the house,
which was along with a female, which I also shot.

This day for the first time we tasted 'flad brod,' and
most excellent it was, a thin, wafer-like barley cake,
beautifully made, crisp and hard. Also ' Gede-ost,' which
is palatable, but has the appearance of brown windsor
soap. It had a somewhat soapy taste too, we thought,
but is fairly palatable. This was at Mustad. For dinner
at Skoien we had excellent blackgame, and ham and eggs.

Our quarters here, Skoien, were most comfortable,
1 the grub magnificent,' and the daughter of the house
speaks capital English.

May 12.

After breakfast on Friday, May 12th, I went out with
my big gun (in contradistinction to the walking-stick
gun). I tried first the pine woods where I heard what
I took to be the ' laugh'* of a Woodpecker of some species.
Finding the woods of no use, I went down to the river-
side, and saw and chased for more than hour two Sand-
pipers, one of which I at last knocked over. These
* No doubt Oecinus viridis.

8 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

birds were haunting a sandy offshoot of the river amongst
osier, alder, and birch, with in the centre of the island
a clump of fir. The cry was, as far as I could remember,
similar to that of a Green Sandpiper, killed by me at
home last autumn, and in fact the bird was of that same
species. The outer tail feather had a single faint black
mark on the outer web. In the morning, immediately
after breakfast, I shot a beautiful little Pied Flycatcher.

Alston, after his dose of skinning, also went out along
the river, but in another direction. He obtained a
Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, and another Pied Flycatcher.

While out I saw old nests of Thrush and Hooded Crow,
and saw Great Tits and what I took to be a Willow
Warbler. Altogether we had not a bad day's work.

May 13.

On Saturday, the 13th of May, we walked to the head of
the Kands Fjord at Oddenaes, and returned along the river
(Etnadals Elv) to Skoien. Alston shot a Green Sand-
piper, and I a Greenshank. These last birds were going
in parties of three to five, and evidently not paired, but
the Green Sandpipers were mostly in pairs. We saw
about eight Greenshanks and the same number of Totanus
ochropus. We saw also several Black-throated Divers on
the Fjord, a lot of Goldeneyes, Common Sandpipers, and
Wheatears. We saw a very light-coloured Buzzard, and
also a small Hawk, either Hobby or Merlin, which
perched on the top of a bare post ; and which I now
(1900) believe to have been a Hobby.

After lunch 1 went up the river and took a Hooded
Crow's nest with five eggs. The nest was in a spruce
fir, and was lined with wool and cow's hair. I shot
a fine $ Brambling.

Alston went separately with the stick-gun, and after a
long hunt found Bramblings and Titmice up the hill,

NOR WA Y 9

and shot one of each. The Bramblings have a very
peculiar, harsh call-note. The Tits were Parus borealis—
our first experience of the species. Its note seemed to
us both to be quicker and softer than that of P. palustris,
a short ' pey-pey,' sometimes * pey-pey-pey,' instead of
the long-drawn and rather rough ' pe-ey pe-py ' of our
British bird.

We both saw droppings of some species of Tetrao, or
Lagopus, from the size most probably L. saliceti. We
saw several Pied Flycatchers.

May 14.

On Sunday, the 14th of May, we bought a small pair
of shed Elk horns for 2m. 12sk. (about '2s. 2d. sterling).
They are said to be numerous up this valley, as are also
Bears.

May 15.

Monday, the 15th of May, we left our comfortable
quarters at Skoien, after packing up in one of the native
manufactured boxes— made of plaited, thin, long splints
of pinewood — fourteen birdskins, mostly obtained at
Skoien.

The first stage of our drive, to Tomlevolden, was of
no interest. The second was up a very long hill— perhaps
six English miles — to Gravdalen on the ridge between the
Etnadal and the Beinadal. On the way up the view of
the Etnadal reminded us of the Murzthal as seen from
Eberstein ('E. K. A.'). All the road after attaining the
plateau was very bad with snow, and just close to the
road, and all through the great pine forests fully three
feet of snow lay.

At Gravdalen we had ' middagsmal,' and most excellent
it was, costing 30sk. each. The fare included Capercaillie,
skov-ryper, beautifully cooked, and ' moltebaer ' preserve
with thick milk. Moltebaer is our ' cloudberry,' which
grows here in great abundance. On the plateau — 2,580

io TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

feet above sea-level — we saw a Redstart, and a large
flock of Bramblings.

Descending from the plateau, we left the valley of the
Etnadals Elv and entered that of the Beina Elv, which
rises near Nystuen on the Fillefjeld. Then down a
long hill to Frydenland, with fine views of the Strande
Fjord, which is very like a Scotch loch. Changing
horses at Frydenland, our road now led along the
side of the river and of the Strande" Fjord. In the
distance we caught sight of the pure white heights of
the Fjeld which we intend to cross the day after to-
morrow if possible. Part of this stage was broken up
badly, as a new and better road is being formed. The
present one is very hilly. It was good practice in
driving straight, the little Norwegian ' heste ' going
fast down the hills to keep the weight of the carioles
from pressing too heavily on them. The latter part of
the road ran close alongside the Fjord.

Before arriving at Fagernaes, Divers, Scaup, and
Goldeneye were seen, and on a small island close to
the station house, a pair of Pintail Ducks rose close to us
and circled twice round our heads. Of course the guns
were in the house.

On the plateau I have mentioned, the small lakes were
quite hard-frozen, and marks of skier (snow skates) were
observable on some of them.

Here at Fagernaes most of the Strande Fjord was
still covered with ice, not, however, of great thickness.
Curious to say, a trout or two were nevertheless seen
rising, and at ' aftensmal ' we had very fine trout, which,
however, had been caught by a net.

We had quite a little chapter of accidents on this
journey, the principal one being that, close to Frydenland,
I dropped my little stick-gun out of my cariole, and
it was brought this evening by a lad who must have

NOR WAY ii

followed us with it nearly the whole way. Alas ! how-
ever, the handle was snapped off, and the screw had
got a jamb. By dint of strong tying on the latter was
repaired after a fashion, and with oil the screw was im-
proved. It will yet serve its turn, we believe.
Our drive to-day was thirty-eight English miles.

May 16.

Tuesday, the 16th of May, was a very cold day, with
snow showers. We had slept well at Fagernaes, and at
9 a.m. started again for another long journey. At
Fagernaes we saw a Dipper and an Eagle, which we
thought might be the Golden. The road continued
along the Strande Fjord, amid beautiful scenery, and past
a fine waterfall, though of no great height, and so on to
Bien. About three and a half English miles from Eien
we stopped to call upon Herr Dr. Printz, at Slidre. He
did not speak English, but his daughter did, and we
succeeded in getting a good deal of information from him.
He also promised us some eggs of his collecting when
we returned from the west coast. He showed us eggs
of Gecinus canus and Coturnix communis, the latter
rare here.

He told us that a jagerman had gone out this morning
to shoot a Bear which had been marked down in the
hills. What a pity wre were not a day sooner, we might
have seen some fun.

Thence we went on to Ste through a good Woodpecker
country, as we saw many holes.

We had meant to sleep at Ste, but the good woman
was ill ; so we dined on eggs, bread, omelette, and milk,
changed horses, and went on by Piloe to Thune.

From Ste the valley narrowed, and the great giant tops
of the Fjeld reared their snowT-covered heads before us. A
bitter cold blast laden with snow swept down the glen in

12 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

our faces, and we had to grin and bear it the best way we
could. The snow lies deep on the Fjeld, and after arriving
at Skogstad, at its base, the rest of our journey over the
heights must be done in sleighs — at least, so we are told.

Cold were we when we arrived at Oiloe i Vand, where
once more we changed horses and drove off again for
seven English miles more to Thune. The road was
now truly grand, being cut out of the face of the solid cliffs
which rise perpendicularly from the waters of the Lille
Miosen. In one place the road was covered in, and on
looking up to see the reason of this precaution, I caught a
glimpse of a great mass of overhanging snow. The side
of the road next the loch was guarded by a strong wooden
railing fastened to the solid rock with iron clamps, and
along the face of the rock the telegraph wire was run.
Along this road we drove merrily, notwithstanding the
icy blast which blew right in our faces and curled up the
dark green snow water of the Lille Miosen. (The hills
reminded Alston of Glencoe.)

Thune was reached about seven o'clock, after our long
drive of about thirty-one English miles. Very obliging
landlady, but a poor station. We then had truly High-
land fare — eggs, fladbrod, cheese, coffee — and we had a
Eeindeer tongue boiled for our journey over the Fjeld
to-morrow.

Here, at Thune, everything is bleak and bare, and
we have reached the region of ' Birkebelter,' far above
the fir-trees. The only fuel for the stove now is
fragments of stunted birch.

Just behind the station-house rises a high mountain
clothed to its foot in deep snow, and along the base of
which, we believe, we drive to-morrow over the Fjeld.

May 17.
We left Thune on Wednesday, the 17th of May, about

NORWAY 13

9 a.m. ; we had a bitterly cold drive along the side of
the Lille Miosen, amidst very fine scenery. On the way
we saw numerous Ked wings, Fieldfares, and a few Ring
Ouzels, also one Peregrine Falcon, a fine adult $ Merlin,
a Kestrel, a few Bramblings and Dippers. Leaving the
lake we ascended to another small lake, which was entirely
frozen over. We saw water only where the river ran in
and out of it ; and shortly afterwards we arrived at Skog-
stad, 1,830 feet in elevation, where, on looking round, we
found ourselves quite surrounded with snow mountains,
the frozen lake lying behind, and the vast Fillefjeld
before us.

We found that Ole Nystuen (see Bennett) was going
up with us, and we at once tackled him about collecting.
We found him to be quite a brick (Alston).

We now prepared for our passage across the Fjeld.
After getting warm we got into our carioles and pro-
ceeded, two other horses drawing two sleighs in carts
behind.

After going about one English mile, we changed
carriages; that is, our carioles were placed upon two
sleighs — the wheels having been taken off — and we our-
selves on two others. Alston's was a most luxurious
affair, while mine was a very simple one, on which I
sat on my portmanteau.

Being uphill almost all the way, we went nearly the
whole distance at a walking pace, our horses occasionally
plunging deep in the snow, and I once getting a half-
upset. Far as we could see around, the snow lay 6
or 8 feet deep, and deeper where the wind had drifted
it. We sleighed over at least 3 feet of hard snow,
and the dog that accompanied us ran lightly over it,
scarcely leaving the impress of his feet.

The last mile (English) to Nystuen we sleighed over
the frozen lake at a rattling merry pace up to the very

H TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

door. There was a strong and cutting west wind blowing
over the Fjeld, and drifting the fine dry snow into our
faces and eyes, so that we could scarcely see our horses'
heads before us. Still the novelty of the thing made
it very enjoyable, especially the drive over the lake,
and shivering, yet withal happy, we arrived at Nystuen.
Our day's travel had been altogether nineteen English
miles, six of them by sleigh. We had a good ' aftensmal '
here — eggs, ' brod og smoer,' and our Keindeer tongue. It
seems a capital station.

As I have said, Ole Nystuen came with us —one of
the two brothers to whose acquaintance we had looked
forward with great hopes as regards our collecting at this
place. Nor do our hopes seem futile. Ole is an intelligent
fellow, speaks English well, and takes up our ideas
sharply. We made all arrangements with him, to pay
him four marks per day, on our return from Gudvangen,
to guide us and assist us in collecting. His brother
Knut, who is now at Bergen, will be here when we come
back, and render assistance also. We gave Ole a blow-
pipe and a drill, and showed him the way to use them,
and he understood everything at once.

' Eagles ' (really Rough-legged Buzzards, Archibuteo
lagopus) breed in the high rocks above Nystuen, and he
will try for the eggs, and take everything else besides.
His brother Knut also can skin.

We bought from Ole four pair of Reindeer horns —
three of them with heads attached — for three dollars,
one mark altogether. Three of these were males and
one a female. He also showed us skins of two bears
and of two foxes in winter coat, all of which were fine,
but as they seemed expensive we did not take them
at present. The Eeindeer horns were (seemed, 1900)
at all events cheap enough in all conscience, and we
take them with us to-morrow, and will ship them to

NORWAY 15

Christiania from Loerdalsoren, addressed to the Museum,
as recommended by Prof. Collett.

This is a most comfortable station, far better than
Thune. At Thune, however, we made the mistake of
not sleeping at the inn, but putting up at the station-
house. But we were cold and hungry and glad to stop,
and the people, too, were kind and obliging, and did all
that was in their power to make us comfortable.

We are here now (Nystuen) 3,100 feet above sea-level,
and the mountains rise around to the height of 5,000.

May 18.

On Thursday, the 18th of May, about 9 a.m., we left
Nystuen in sleighs to complete our passage of the Fille-
fjeld. There was bright sunshine and wild wind with
snow drifting in our faces. The men put on their snow
goggles, and we our veils, which proved a great comfort.

Being downhill, we went for the most part at a
merry pace, but in one or two places fresh drift had
filled up the road, and then we took to the open fjeld.
Here in some places where the snow was soft our horses
plunged in up to their bellies. They always put out their
hind legs, so that if they broke through, the weight of
their bodies came upon their hocks. They quickly
recovered themselves in all instances.

No Keindeer were sighted, though Ole (' Nystuen ') *
told us that often some hundreds were to be seen at
this particular part of the route.

About five English miles from Nystuen we entered
the Bergen Stift, marked by a pile of stones and a
wooden post. Here we drank ' skaal,' and proceeded.

No living thing was seen until we began to descend
from the plateau. Then we saw a scattered flock of
Snow Buntings, and two Titmice, which we could not
* To distinguish between ' Ole Nystuen ' and ' Ole LysneV

16 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

identify as heavy snow was falling and our veils were close
around our faces. They looked like Crested Tits, but the
altitude was considerably above the fir woods. We heard
a Peregrine Falcon.

Our sleighing came to an end at Maristuen, where
we took again to our carioles and proceeded down the
grand valley of the Loerdal all the way to Loerdalsoren.
The first, or upper, part of the valley we saw little of,
owing to blinding hail showers in our faces and snowdrift
whirling along the sides of the mountains.

Just above Husum, however, it cleared up, and the
rest of the journey was very enjoyable.

We left for our return journey the inspection of the
ancient wooden, tar-covered church of Borgund, which
Alston described as like a model in ebony of a Chinese
Pagoda.

We descended to Husum by a wonderful series of
zigzags of solid masonry, called ' Bindehellen,' down
which we had to walk our horses, keeping a tight rein,
and so down the hillsides to Blaaflaten.

Alston described his impressions of the Loerdal as a
most magnificent gorge, something like an exaggeration
of Glencoe, but much deeper and narrower, and about
thirty English miles in length. It winds and twists in a
wonderful way, presenting new views at every turn, and
the road sometimes runs close to the river, and is some-
times hundreds of feet above it.

The scenery of the valley is very grand in some
places, strongly reminding me of the view at Fluelen
at the head of Lake Lucerne : a narrow, winding valley,
shut in on every side by grand snow-capped mountains,
the snow whirled in wreaths along their sides by the
wind.

In one place between Husum and Blaaflaten the road
winds along the edge of a precipice of 200 or 300 feet,

NORWAY 17

and we could have ' chucked a biscuit ' from our carioles
right down into the Lcerdal River.

At another spot the road wound in and out along the
face of a precipice, having been cut out of the solid rock,
the river foaming along in a narrow gorge about 160 feet
below us. Every turn of the road discovered a new
scene, some other high snow mountains taking the place
of the last.

We met with but little appearance of costume among
the natives, except a worsted nightcap, either red or blue,
and blue jackets with silver buttons. We expect to see
more of this at Vossevangen.

The lower part of the Loerdal River, below Blaaflaten,
runs through a wider part of the valley, and the road
becomes level. The birch-trees coming into leaf were
very pretty.

Here we saw a Trout or two rising, but the water was
bright green and full of snow.

One cliff was pointed out by our Shiitsgaaden between
Blaaflaten and Loerdalsoren, where Eagles (Orne) breed.
We saw numbers of Fieldfares, Ring Ouzels, etc., and one
fine adult Merlin kept flying alongside our carioles for a
considerable part of the road.

We drove into the village of Loerdalsoren up to the door
of the inn, and after an unusual delay we had an excellent
supper about nine o'clock of trout and 'beefsteaks.' The
trout had the decided flavour of very fine river-trout, and
little flavour of sea-trout, yet curdy like salmon.

At Hoeg and at Blaaflaten we saw Clarke-Kennedy's
name in the ' Dag-bok ' under date of May 4th. He
had come from Christiania via Hallingdal.

May 19.

Friday, the 19th of May, was a tiresome day, as we
had to wait for the stearner to start for Gudvangen.
VOL. i. 3

i8 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

This did not take place until the postman arrived from
Christiania, which was not till nine o'clock at night.

Our quarters here were good, but the country is not
good for birds, the hills rising almost perpendicularly on
all sides, and there is very little wood of any kind.
Altogether we liked Loerdalsoren less than any place we
have yet visited in Norway. The charges are higher
than most, besides which it is infested with a sort of
English-tourist touting society of roughs, who are quite
delighted to do you if they can, even in only the small
sum of four skillings. These are mostly porters, who
crowded round us on our arrival at the inn.

As there really were no birds, or places likely for birds,
we waited as patiently as we could. We left Loerdal at
four o'clock, the night journey depriving us of the sight of
the fine scenery of the fjord. Here we left the Keindeer
heads in charge of the innkeeper, to be sent to Christiania.

This day we saw Common Gulls at the mouth of the
river.

May 20.

We arrived at Gudvangen about one o'clock in the
morning of Saturday, the 20th of May, and turned in
for forty winks.

At 9 a.m. we started for Vossevangen, 28 English
miles, carioling up a magnificent glen, the Naerodal
(Narrow Glen), a most magnificent gorge, finer, if
possible, than the Loerdal, though on a much narrower
scale. The mountains which closed it in rose in some
places almost perpendicularly to the height of 3,000 feet.
At one part of the valley two immense mountains rose
opposite each other and towered far above the others. A
beautiful river ran along the valley, which had its slopes
well wooded to a considerable height above the stream
with alder and birch, suggestive of Fieldfares breeding
later in the season. We saw several old nests along the

NORWAY 19

road, in alder underwood. After about half a dozen
English miles of this fine scenery we ascended a hill at
the top by a series of seventeen steep zigzags similar to
the Vindhellen at Husum in the Loerdal valley, and made
by the same engineer (Captain Finne). This is called
Stalheim Cleft, and on each side of it is a fine waterfall
which were named the Saloklevfos and the Stalheimsfos.
While our horses drew the carioles slowly up the
tortuous ascent, we who reached the top looked back,
and Alston took a rapid sketch of the glorious valley we
had left, we being seated some couple of hundred feet
above the tops of the waterfalls. So sharp were the
zigzags that from where we were sitting I could throw
a stone down over five of them, and the arms of each
zigzag were not more than fifty yards in length.

We changed horses near the top, on the other side,
and drove on, down into a wide fir- wooded valley, and
far in the distance before us were the Snowy Fjelds.
We saw here a good deal of heather, rare in this country.

At Tvinde we had a cup of milk and some bad ' flad-
brod og smoer ' at a most wretched hovel of a station-
house, and the woman looked sulky at getting 12 sk.
for it.

Thence we went on through a somewhat similar
country to Tvinde, near which is a rather good water-
fall, the Tvindefos. Here for the first time we had
a girl as Shiitzgaaden, and a most uncomfortable seat
she must have had, to judge from appearances. During
this stage we passed numerous lakes, free of ice, on
which we saw a few Ducks and Divers, and we arrived
at Vossevangen after a 28-mile drive. The hotel there
looked comfortable, and the landlord (Fleischer) was
obliging and civil.

After ' Aftensmal ' I took my gun and went over to a
thick fir-wood — pine-trees — but got nothing. I saw lots

20 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

of Fieldfares and found the nest of a Long-tailed Tit,
Acredula caudata, L. — a great beauty. The bird flew off
and sat close to me, and I could distinctly see the white
head which is peculiar to the Continental form. I took
the nest, which, however, contained no eggs. I saw some
eight or nine Goldeneyes in a flock, but could not get
near them. Also during our drive two or three Missel
Thrushes — the first we have seen in Norway — also a
White Wagtail building its nest. Also in the Gudvangen
Valley we heard a Peregrine Falcon, saw Kestrels, a
couple of Great Tits, Wlieatears, etc.

The Shiitzgaaden along one of the stages and myself
interchanged lessons in Norsk and English, naming the
different trees, etc., which we met with on the way, both
of us, in fact, endeavouring to improve the opportunity.
On the other hand, another Shiitzgaaden was singularly
stupid. I asked him a question which had always been
answered before, but he could not understand my bad
Norsk. I asked, ' Er der oret ; Elven, store oret, eller
smaa oret ? ' and again, ' Eller fiske lax i Elven ' : but
he simply stared and spoke not. J put him down as an
idiot, and thereafter preserved a sullen silence, as I gazed
at the tempting-looking pools of the fine river. (I wonder
what he thought of me ?)

I afterwards learned from the landlord of the inn at
Vossevangen — Herr Fleischer — who speaks English well,
that the Trout attain to the size of 6 Ibs. No Salmon,
however, go up further than the lake which lies in front
of the inn.

Herr Fleischer told me that the Ducks we see on the
lake here breed in the neighbourhood, in holes in trees.
We had formerly understood that Goldeneyes bred only
much further north.

Alston, in his diary, noted that, on the whole, we were
disappointed in the western slopes from a ' birdy ' point

NORWAY 11

of view, and intend to retrace our steps to Valders, and
wait there instead of at Vossevangen till it is time for
the Fjelds, probably at Keien and Thune. We shall
have to wait till Thursday, however, for the steamer from
Gudvangen to Leerdalsoren.

Since starting from Gjovik on the 10th, we have driven
about 176 English miles in carioles and sledges, besides
thirty miles in steamer (Loerdalsoren to Gudvangen), of
which we have driven 153 in five days, or an average
of about 30J in a day.

May 21.

On Sunday, the 21st of May, we rested at Vossevangen,
Alston having a bad cold.

We saw the costume of the peasants as they passed to
and from church. The women had caps of large size
with two peaks pointing backward, pure white, and two
broad bands of white down in front.

The men had little observable costume, save silver
buttons on their coats.

Many of the women did not wear any ' costume,' but
simply the everyday dress, viz., a black 'mutch,' long-
waisted gown of blue stuff, or the younger ones a
handkerchief tied round the head.

Some of the high large caps fell behind in a single
broad wedge, and were richly embroidered in colours.

May 22.

Monday, the 22nd of May, there had been a little rain
through the night, and there was heavy rain mist low down
over the hills. In fact, we had a change of weather at last,
which it was hoped would aid the disappearance of the
snow on the Fjelds. Alston's cold was much better, but
he did not go out much, however. He shot a Redshank
on the lake, but spoilt it badly.

I took a ' best ' (horse) about three English miles from

22 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

the hotel to the top of the second lake, and walked back.
I shot a $ Green Woodpecker with the hatching spot on
the breast. I searched for the nest, but in vain, looking at
all the pollard-trees in the vicinity. I saw also a Tree
Pipit, two pair of Wild Duck, Mergansers, Pied Fly-
catchers, Redstart, Black-throated Divers, and Common
Sandpipers; and shot a Redshank.

I heard Tits, and besides seeing and hearing numbers
of Bramblings, found the first nest, but without eggs.
The $ came flying close around me, and sat within four
yards of me, uttering a note lower and less harsh than
that of the <? . I left the nest, and hope to get eggs erelong.

In the same wood I found an immense number of
Fieldfares, with many old nests. They kept up an
incessant chattering, and several times I distinctly saw
one, as it flew overhead, in the act of uttering a low
song, between a warble and a chatter. A Kestrel flew
round over the wood, and at once all was still; and it
was with difficulty I could see a single bird.

I saw also a little bird against the light on the side
of a tree, but as it flew off at once I could not say
whether it was Nuthatch or Creeper.

When a Hooded Crow flew over the Fieldfares' wood,
several of the latter gave chase and darted down at the
Hoodie, like little hawks.

To-day we saw the first Sand Martin.

After ' midday's meal ' we both went to the pine-
wood, which is just ' botching' (Anglice, ' alive with'*)
Fieldfares and Bramblings, but we could find no new
nests, although there were heaps of old ones. Fieldfares
have a curious way of singing on the wing, with their
peculiar chatter coming in between the notes.

Alston's diary of 25th May stated that he forgot to say
that:

* To use an appropriate Scots expression from Alston's diary.

NOR WA Y 23

' On Monday evening we found an apparently new
Fieldfare's nest, an empty one, in the big wood, in which
were a few pellets of earth rather larger than big peas.
Possibly the birds bring the plastering material in that
form.'

In the evening I took the boat and rowed across the
lake to a wood on the other side. It was too late,
however, to see many birds, but I put four young
Squirrels out of a small drey on a low pollard within
about 10 feet from the ground. I shot two of them,
which, strange to say, were nearly full-grown, so that the
weather must have been pretty severe when they first
made their appearance in this world.

When crossing the lake, I saw a Lesser Black-backed
Gull, which hovered close over the boat.

At the other side I got a glimpse of a very romantic
little burn running between perpendicular rocks about
60 feet high, with a considerable body of water.

Since yesterday there is more (certainly no less) than
a foot of difference in the depth of the lake. The boat
was high and dry yesterday, and to-day it was lying though
not floating in at least a foot of wrater. At this rate
summer will soon come.

May 23.

Tuesday, the 23rd of May, was hot. The rapidity of
change in the weather is very remarkable, and the
streams from the snow-covered hills are raging torrents
by the middle of the day, and quite small in the morning
and evening.

We heard the Cuckoo for the first time.

After breakfast we went out, up the other side of the
river, but did not see very many birds. Alston shot
a $ Brambling, and each of us a Titmouse (query Marsh
Tit?). We saw and heard two Hawks, which we both

24 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

thought different from Kestrels ; but we could not get
them.

We got a good male Bed-breasted Merganser, which
Herr Fleischer bought from a boy.

We skinned our birds, but most of our afternoon was
lost in waiting to see a peasant wedding procession leave
the village. We had a weary wait while the good folks
were liquoring up, but the sight was well worth waiting
for.

The men had little costume — dark blue clothes, some
with silver coin buttons — but the ladies were gorgeous.

Most of the women rode on curious old-fashioned side-
saddles, but the bride (in her gorgeous tinsel crown, silver
overlaid with gilt, and with many loose ornaments hanging
down from the edges) sat astride the horse, and seemed to
have quite a comfortable seat, much more so, indeed, than
many of the cavaliers who preceded the marriage party as
convoy. The latter sawed most unmercifully at their
horses' heads, with hands wide apart and almost at a level
with their heads, their legs stretched at full length with or
without stirrups, and at the same elevation as the horses'
shoulders, while their bodies lay backwards at an angle
considerably less than 45°. The faces of some expressed
great bodily anguish !

These gentlemen rode as fast as they could—; -fas te r
than their ' heste ' — about a couple of hundred yards
from the town, and when the marriage party passed and
had almost gone out of sight, gave three cheers. They
then rode backwards and forwards about four or five
times before the spectators, who were lining the road on
either side.

One old fellow — ' half-seas over ' — stopped his horse
beside where Alston and I were perched on the top of
two posts, and said something relative to ' to Katugle,'
evidently a hit at our costume and position, the ears of

NORWAY 25

our caps no doubt bearing some resemblance to those of
that bird.

The costumes of the female portion of the wedding
party were very picturesque, some wearing silver girdles
with many hanging ornaments and large silver brooches,
a dress of red and dark, and some with white jackets or
shawls. The head-dresses also were similar in some
cases to those we saw on Sunday. Others had simply
a white hood over the head. All the female portion,
except the bride, rode in large chairs sideways on the
horses, with a single large stirrup about a foot in length,
and they seemed much less at ease than did the bride.

May 24.

Wednesday, the 24th of May, was a very hot broiling
day, and coats and waistcoats were pitched aside.
Having had tubs and bread and milk put in our rooms
overnight, we got up about half-past four or five o'clock
and repaired to the upper end of the second lake.

On the way we shot two Wrynecks perched on trees
and uttering their Kestrel-like cry, and we heard others.
We saw also two Creepers. The Wrynecks were perched,
and uttering a low cry very like that of some small raptorial
bird — Kestrel, for example. We found two breeding-
holes of Pied Flycatchers, but on examination found we
could not cut into them with our ' tolle-knives,' but must
wait till saw, chisel, and hammer are procured. The birds
flew close round us. Later in the day I bought a small
saw and a huge chisel for the benefit (?) of these and
other birds which build in holes.

In the pine-wood at the head of the second lake we
found a nest and eggs of the Northern Marsh Tit. It
contained eight eggs, and we got the female bird. The
nest was of moss, lined with strips of the inner bark
of the alder (see Bree) and with a few of the bird's

26 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

feathers. It was in a freshly-made hole (? made by the
Tit or by Nuthatch or Wryneck) [in a rotten birch stump
(Alston)] in the hollow stump of a decayed and broken
willow-tree, and was fully a foot below the entrance-hole.
The eggs were about three days incubated. One — the
the last laid — quite fresh. Fresh chips of decayed wood
lay under the hole, at the foot of the tree. The hole may
have been made by a Nuthatch (or Woodpecker?) and
afterwards abandoned, but the fresh appearance raised
the query in our minds as to whether the Tit itself in
some instances makes the hole.* The note of the bird
shot from this nest was, as far as we could judge,
precisely similar to that of our Parus palustris.

In taking out the nest and eggs our ' tolle-knives '
proved very useful, though had the wood not been quite
decayed, they would not have been found so effectual.

I shot a Long-tailed Tit with a fine white head, a very
different-looking bird from our darker British species, or
race.

We returned home rejoicing, but very hot, and after
breakfast we occupied the heat of the day in skinning the
various birds we had secured, and altogether we did not
do a bad day's work.

May 25.

Thursday, the 25th of May, was a hot day, but there
was more air than yesterday. We rose at 5 a.m., and,
after milk and bread and cheese, we took a boat and
rowed down Vange Vandet to a birch-wooded glen, about
two and a half miles from the hotel.

Not long after landing we fell in with a small colony of
Fieldfares, and with some help from a couple of small boys,
we found ten nests, besides one with hard-set eggs. I took
the first nest, which contained four eggs, then Alston
took one with five, and the others, which respectively
* We afterwards proved it did.

NOR WA Y 27

contained five, four, three, five, two, five, five, and five
eggs each, were found mostly by ourselves, but a few by
the little boys who helped us. The nests were composed
almost entirely of a fine, long, dry grass, with layer of
mud or clay between the outer and inner layers of grass.
The first nest found had a few birch twigs in the founda-
tion, the others have a few sprays of moss. They were
pretty well scattered in an open birch-wood situated in
pollard and other birch-trees, most in the forks, a few on
tops of stumps, none at more than 20 feet from the
ground, most of them about 10 or 12 feet, and an
unfinished one taken by Alston was about 2 feet only
from the ground. I shot the hen bird off the first nest,
the eggs in which were finely covered, and like some eggs
of the Eing Ouzel. The birds were not at all bold.

We sawed into the nest of the Pied Flycatcher, but
found no eggs. Our tools worked well. Alston shot an
immature male bird of this species and another Northern
Marsh Tit.

We got back about 1 p.m., and then had breakfast,
for which we were in uncommonly good form. Alston
had two cups of coffee, half a bottle of beer, five eggs,
ham, cheese, bread, etc., etc., and I was not far behind
him, although at one time he was two eggs ahead of me.
Bad look-out for Herr Fleischer's larder and profits. The
rest of the day was spent in skinning birds, blowing, mark-
ing, and packing eggs, nests, etc. WTe had coffee and trout at
6 p.m. instead of dinner.

This day we saw the first Blackbird, a female. We
also saw a pair or two of Bramblings, but do not think
they have nests yet.

To-day we saw another peasant wedding party pass the
hotel, much the same as on Tuesday, but the costumes
slightly different. This party came from the westward.
The bride came in one head-dress, but went away with

28 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

the crown, similar to that of Tuesday's bride. The
attendant females wore red tartan shawls or white ones,
and had a red scarf thrown over and covering their white
head-dresses.

This day I was complimented on my Norsk by the
landlady's sister, who said I had ' meget Norsk,' but I
found out afterwards that the question I had asked had
been somewhat wide of the meaning I intended, and was
answered accordingly, scarcely to my satisfaction.

May 26.

Friday, the 26th of May, was a very hot day. We
rose at five o'clock and were out about six. We went to
the wood at the top of the second lake, where we got the
nest of the Northern Marsh Tit on Wednesday.

On the way we took a nest of six nearly fresh eggs of
the Wheatear from under stones supporting the sides of
the road ; it was of dry grass lined with cow's hair mixed
with feathers, etc.

In the wood we searched every stump and pollard-tree
for Tits' nests, watched the birds, etc., but all in vain;
our careful looking only produced one last year's nest of
doubtful species with a rotten egg in it, and one or two
empty ones.

Coming home rather disconsolately along the middle
lake, Alston noticed a morsel of down at the mouth
of a large hole in an old pollard willow, and, put-
ting in his hand, something bit. Drawing back his
hand, out dashed a female Goldeneye, displaying to our
delighted eyes seven bright, beautiful green eggs, which
proved to have been sat on for about a week. The nest,
which was. composed of the bird's own down, mixed —
probably accidentally — with . chips of rotten wood, was
about fifty yards from the lakeside, and near which was
a small clump of alder-trees, with grass land all around.

NOR WA Y 29

The female did not return while we were near the place.
We had no large gun with us, and could hardly have used it
if we had, as we were not expecting anything of the kind.
Alston took out the first egg, and I also had & finger in
the nest. We took also the down, which was, as nearly
as possible, pure white.

So Herr Fleischer was correct when he told us of the
breeding of a black and white duck in holes in trees, but
we were not sure what sort, and certainly did not think
of their laying so early.

We came back to our inn rejoicing, and after breakfast
at eleven o'clock we went to the ' big wood' near the village,
armed with climbing-irons, collecting-boxes, etc. We
found there were plenty of Fieldfares, and that they have
begun to breed, but our hopes of a big haul were doomed
to disappointment, as very few of the nests are to be
had without more climbing than they were worth, and
many were quite inaccessible from being over-near the
ends of long branches. Almost all were from 30 to 50
feet from the ground. I climbed up to several, but some
were empty, others old, one of five very hard set, and
one, which was comparatively near the ground, with four
good and very handsome eggs. There must be an im-
mense number of nests in this colony, judging from
the number of birds seen. All, however, are not, we
fancy, yet built, and some I climbed to contained no
eggs yet. These observations argue considerable irregu-
larity in their time of laying, both as regards different
colonies and as regards different individuals in some
colonies.

We visited the Bramblings' nest which we found last
Monday, but it was still empty, and we feared forsaken.
Alston found another empty one, and marked the place,
and just as we were leaving the wood I noticed a third
nest close to where we were standing. We wratched the

30 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

hen bird on to the nest, which contained five eggs, which
proved to be very hard set, one breaking in being blown.
This nest, the first we had seen with eggs, was situated
about 6 feet from the ground in a young Pinus sylvestris.
In appearance it was very similar to a Chaffinch's, built
with lichen, moss, bits of paper, etc., and lined with hair,
feathers, etc., and the eggs were darker green than most
Chaffinches'. After watching the hen to heir nest, I went
up. She almost allowed me to touch her as she sat. I
fired at her, as we want ? specimens, but missed her.
The lake in front of the inn has now fully 4 feet
more water in it, and the hills have now quite a different
appearance from what they had when we came.

May 27.

Saturday, the 27th of May, was likewise a very hot day.
We started about 7 a.m. and drove in our carioles to
Tvinde — one Norsk mile distant. The Foss was very
fine, as a large body of snow water was coming down.
At the bridge we sent the carioles back and separated,
Alston to walk back along the west, and I along the east
side of the lakes.

I carried an indiarubber cloth bag holding the chisel,
paper for birds, flask, etc., my telescope, collecting-box
with belt round waist, gun slung on back, and stick-gun
in hand — a somewhat heavy equipment for hard wrorking
and such hot weather. Alston was somewhat similarly
equipped.

Alston, on reaching the head of the highest lake, saw
a pair of Mergansers, and a pair of Goldeneyes, which
latter seemed to have a nest on an island at the mouth of
the river. While he was watching them a stranger drake
made his appearance, and a grand fight ensued, which
ended in the intruder being driven off after a great deal
of splashing and excitement. He noted that the male, in

NORWAY 31

feeding, dived almost incessantly, and remained beneath
water from 10 to 20 seconds.

Thence he worked down the chain of lakes, seeing
another pair of Mergansers, a pair of Black-throated
Divers, and another of Wild Duck.

When he got to the third lake he saw a Wryneck in
a tree, and in looking for its nest stumbled on a nest
of the Northern Marsh Tit with seven or eight eggs,
which, however, he could not get at without a chisel.
He shot the hen (which, though subsequently mislaid,
was certainly the same as our other specimens) and filled
up the hole with cotton and moss.

Then he went down to the lake, where he saw a fine $
Goosander alone, which he watched a long time. Most
likely the ? was sitting on her nest.

For my part, about an English mile from Tvinde I
came to a small birch wood at the riverside, where I took
five nests of Fieldfares, found three or four nests of
Bramblings, and one with five eggs of Redwing — our
first.

The Bramblings' nests I got up to had no eggs, but
two I could not climb to without the irons, as the birch
bark was as slippery as any maypole. I lost my blowing
instruments, and only found them again after an hour
and a half's search.

The Redwing's nest was placed about a couple of feet
from the ground. It was smaller than those of the Field-
fares, and in this instance with no grass outside the mud,
except a few blades partly interwoven through it ; and it
was lined with a wiry grass different from that used by
the Fieldfares. It was situated — as stated above — at 2
feet from the ground, on the strong branches of a juniper
bush at the foot of a birch-tree. The eggs — four — were
hard set, except one which was addled.

The wood in which this nest was found contained also

32 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

a small colony of Fieldfares, and also some numbers of
Bramblings. It is a low young birch-wood with a few
fir-trees of older growth, and a quantity of juniper growing
in some parts. Several other pairs of Kedwings were
noticed, which probably had nests also. I watched the
bird to this nest, which was not accomplished for more
than an hour. Previous to that the bird had gone off the
nest. I wounded her so severely that she became quite
stupefied, and flew on to a branch close to my head,
where she remained shaking sideways for some time.
Recovering herself, she flew away and I lost her. Its
habits near the nest were much more wary that those of
the Fieldfare, as it never uttered a note either of alarm
or otherwise, nor did I hear its mate cry at all during the
whole of the time I lay concealed near the nest.

I saw a Green Woodpecker fly out of a fresh hole in a
poplar-tree, which I chiselled into, but found nothing laid
yet.

I also saw a Wood Pigeon, the first we had seen on the
west side of the Fjeld.

I also saw Grey Hen and Woodcock near the lake, and
Swifts about the church.

May 28.

Sunday, the 28th of May, was not so hot. We lay in
bed till about 10 a.m., and otherwise took it easy. Madame
Fleischer showed us a bride's crown, etc., which the
servant girl here keeps and lets out on hire.

In conversation with Herr Fleischer we were told that
there are no Rats at Vossevangen, nor Hedgehogs, and
that Foxes come down from the hills in winter. There
are Reindeer, of course, on the Fjelds. Capercaillie are
much rarer than when he was a young man.

May 29.

On Monday, the 29th of May — a warm day, with a
shower — we drove again nearly to Tvinde. At the top

NORWAY 33

of the lake we got the loan of a boat, and visited the islands
at the mouth of the river, where we expected to find a
Goldeneye's nest. In this, however, we wrere disappointed,
though we saw two pairs. They evidently have no nests
yet, and the eggs we took on the 26th must have been
exceptionally early.

We then went again to the wood close to Tvinde, where
I had taken the Redwing's nest on Saturday, and here we
remained till evening. We took seven nests of Fieldfares,
four nests and eggs of Bramblings, and one. nest of Red-
wings, watching the last two species in every instance to
their nests, except in such cases as where we revisited
formerly-found nests. In two nests of Fieldfares we
found no less than six eggs, which is surely unusual.*
In one of these all the six were fertile, and in the other
one egg was addled. In one Brambling's nest were
seven eggs. Another Redwing's nest, building, was
found.

The four nests of the Brambling we took contained
seven, five, four, and four eggs respectively ; and the nests
were larger in size apparently than Chaffinches', certainly
larger than a Chaifinch's nest taken the same day from
which the bird was seen to fly. Some of these Bram-
blings' nests were placed at least a dozen feet from the
ground in birch-trees, one in a tall fir against the trunk
about 10 feet from the ground, and the fourth in a small,
dead fir, and nearly concealed by the pendent sprays of
long, dead lichen. Amongst the materials of the nests
were many small pieces of the thin, white bark of the
birch, which was entirely absent in the nests of the
Chaffinch. The moss used by the Brambling also seems
generally to be of a different species from that used by the
Chaffinch. The Bramblings' nests are fully as neat and
compact as those of the Chaffinch. The nests in the first
* We got eight eggs in a nest afterwards.

VOL. I. 4

34 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

were infested with ants, by which we got bitten. The
birds of two nests were shot — two on Saturday and one
to-day.

The eggs — as before noted — were of a darker green
shade of ground colour than those of the Chaffinch, which
are more creamy tinted. All blew fresh except the nest
of seven, one of which was an addled egg with imperfect
shell. This egg I broke in blowing. They had been
incubated about a week.

The nests of the Fieldfare we took to-day were situated
in both fir, birch, and other trees at about 5 to 20 feet
from the ground. In the colony there were about, say,
twenty pairs of Fieldfares, and the nests were pretty wide
apart, occupying a small wood of about 2J acres in area,
and in which Redwings, Bramblings, and Chaffinches
were also breeding. The Fieldfares' eggs were mostly
fresh, or nearly so, though in one or two nests were about
a week incubated. Other nests were found with nearly-
hatched young, and others with only one or two eggs.
In the first and third nests taken, by Alston and myself
respectively, no less than six eggs were found, one of
those in the latter being slightly rotten, the others quite
fresh. The eggs show considerable variety.

From this wood we walked to Tvinde, where we had
' brod og smaer og rnelk,' and hired a ' stol-kjaere '
(cart with chair on wooden springs) for our journey
home.

We got a mount on Norsk ponies from two sons of the
farmer from whom we had got the boat, and had a ride for
an English mile or so. Alston's mount had a very peculiar
amble, but they got along at a very good pace, especially
downhill. They seemed, as Alston remarked, wonderfully
short before the saddle when one is on them, and have no
more mouth than a pig".

NORWAY 35

May 30.

Tuesday, the 30th of May, was a warm, showery day.
Before breakfast Alston and I went to take the eggs from
the Northern Tit's nest which he found on Saturday, and
at which he had shot one of the birds (since either mislaid
or stolen by the hotel cat). After about an hour's work
with chisel and hammer, I succeeded in enlarging the
hole sufficiently for Alston to take out both the nest and
the nine eggs it contained. The nest, which was situated
in a hole in an old birch in the open ground with no fir-
trees very near the place, was composed of moss lined
warmly with sheep's wool and goat's hair, but there was
no appearance in it of alder-bark or any other kind of
bark. The nine eggs were very hard set and one of them
addled. Alston returned home with the eggs, and on his
way found another nest in a birch in the middle of the
fir-wood, which had young ones. The old birds were very
bold, feeding them within 6 feet of where we were sitting.
He did not disturb this nest.

I then proceeded to the Pied Flycatchers' nests found
by us on the 24th. One of them was built on the top of
an old nest, in which was a rotten egg which looked like
that of a Nuthatch. In this nest there was no egg laid
yet. The other nest contained a single egg — fresh — and
was composed of dry grass, lined neatly with a minute
kind of root which grows inside decayed birch and other
trees. It was situated in a hole in a birch- tree, and I had
to chisel for nearly an hour before I got to it. The $
bird was shot. The species appears to be plentiful here.
Two other nests did not yet contain eggs.

There has not been so much snow melting the last two
days, as the weather has been cooler, with occasional
showers of rain.

Alston was not in good form, and was rather bilious,
the long fasts and big feeds at night not agreeing with him.

36 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

May 31.

On Wednesday, the 31st of May, Alston was still seedy
and out of sorts and stayed in the house. So I started
alone to search the big wood for Bramblings' nests. I
found none, but came across a second Goldeneye's nest in
a tall, rotten fir-stump about fifty yards from the river.
Seeing some down on the side of the stump, I began
to climb up. The hole was about 12 feet from the
ground. Just as I looked into it and put in my arm to
take out the eggs, crash went the stump, breaking sharp
off about a couple of feet from the ground. I landed on
my feet and was not hurt, though in recovering myself
slightly strained a muscle in my side, which was a little
painful for a time. The eggs — five or six in number-
were, of course, all smashed, save one, which had become
rolled up in a portion of the down, and was fresh.

I found also a couple more nests with young of the
Northern Marsh Tit, one in a rotten post of a fence in
the wood, the other in a tree. I saw the side of the nest
in the post, and it had pieces of alder-bark amongst other
materials. We are too late now, I fear, for any more eggs
of this species, at least in this locality.

Eeturning to the wood I found another Goldeneye's
nest, but containing only one egg, which was buried at
least a foot deep in a mass of lichen, moss, etc., in the
stump of a pollard-birch.

I found also a Long-tailed Tit's nest, the entrance of
which I could not find, so made one for myself. It had
no eggs, but was warmly lined with feathers.

Alston saw a bridal procession in boats pass down the
lake — not so picturesque a sight as that on horseback.

June 1.

On Thursday, the 1st of June, I went in the morning
about three miles up the other river along the Hardanger

NOR WA Y 37

road, but got nothing and saw nothing in the bird way.
The river, however, was fine, rushing through a narrow
gorge with precipitous walls and cliff about a hundred feet
in height. A collie dog accompanied me from Vossevan-
gen and back, seeming to enjoy the outing. Alston,
though better than he was, did not go out. The rest of the
day was spent in packing and making final arrangements
for leaving Vossevangen.

June 2.

Friday, the 2nd of June, a fine day, we started about nine
or half-past, having first got a stirrup-cup from Herr
Fleischer in home-brewed ale out of his old family peg-
tankard, dated 1737, a big silver flagon which holds
about four quarts. The home-brew was vera gude (meget
godt) , and we drank to ' gamle Norge ' and to Herr
Fleischer and his family. It was not without regret
that we started on carioles at nine o'clock, and for the last
time ascended the long hill to the East, on our route
back to the Fillefjeld.

At the head of the Naerodal we saw to advantage the
fine Stalheimfoss and its companion fall, the Saloklev-
foss, and in the far distance the * smoke ' of the thread-
like Keelfoss, showing a lovely rainbow in the evening
sun.

At Tvinde we were kept an hour and a quarter waiting
for heste, but we managed to amuse ourselves with
luncheon, having brought with us beer and the knuckle
of the ham. Near this place we saw a $ Blackbird and
several Pied Flycatchers.

A large box 2 feet by 1J by 1 foot, full of nests, skins,
etc., of Fieldfares and Bramblings, went in my cariole
between my legs ; and Alston took charge of a ' Tine '
half filled with Goldeneye's and Fieldfares' eggs. And all
this was in addition to our former luggage. Truly the
capacity of carioles for carrying luggage is wonderful.

38 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

We arrived at Gudvangen about five o'clock, too late in
the afternoon to do anything to the Fieldfares, so we
rested till the morrow.

June 3.

After breakfast on Saturday, the 3rd of June, we went
to look for Fieldfares in the Naerodal. We first found a
very neat nest and eggs very like those of a Green Linnet.
We watched the bird to the nest, and found it was only
a Chaffinch's. Both nest and eggs were remarkable.
The former is built entirely of green moss without any
lichen, and it assimilated in colour to the green leaves of
the alder-tree it was built in. The eggs had a fine green
tinge, and the markings were large blotches, gradually
shading from darker to lilac. The green tinge is like
that found in all eggs of the Brambling which we have
yet found.

We searched the alder- wood in vain for Fieldfares, but
only saw one or two pairs of birds, and as many nests
built, but without eggs.

In a birch- wood, however, to which Alston did not go,
being hardly game for the scramble yet, I found a colony
of Fieldfares, but most of the nests contained nothing.
I climbed to about twenty nests altogether, and only
found five or six with eggs. Two others, again, had
young, and many had broken eggs. I suspected the little
boys of taking them, as such as were not destroyed were
always in trees which little boys could not climb; and
indeed, in one instance, I saw the marks of their feet on
the branches. Why they do so I cannot undertake to say.

In two of the Fieldfares' nests I again got six eggs in
each.

We saw Pied Flycatchers and a couple of Northern
Titmice, but no nests.

I tried for Sea Trout in the Fjord, but it was of no
avail,

NORWAY 39

In Naerodalen, about an English mile above Gudvangen,
we were shown a huge block of rock (? gneiss) which had
fallen from a cliff 3,000 feet high on the 6th of May,
1860, and leaped right across the river, a distance of
at least 40 or 50 yards, and implanted itself on the
opposite bank. We roughly estimated its size at about
15 feet each way, or about 3370 cubic feet, its shape
being nearly cubic. The whole track left by its debris
on its passage down the mountain-side could clearly be
traced. Originally, no doubt, the mass must have been
immensely larger.

June 4.

On Sunday morning, the 4th of June, we were
awakened at 1.30 a.m. to go by the steamer Fjalir from
Bergen, but it did not put in appearance till near four
o'clock. We had a grand sail, first up the Aurland Fjord
and back to the Sogn Fjord proper, calling at various
' water-stations.'

One of these in particular attracted our attention — its
name was Aurle — from its situation in a small semi-
circular bay, surrounded on all sides by pine forest with
birch intermingled. It had a most ' birdy ' aspect, but
as we had taken our tickets on to Loerdalsoren, we could
not stop to investigate it at closer quarters. We saw
Black Guillemots in the Naerofjord and Aurland Fjord,
and also a very large Tern (sp. ?).

We reached Loerdalsoren about ten (having had a
capital breakfast on board), and having seen about de-
spatch of our box, aquavite, etc., and seen the first British
tourist who had crossed the Fillefjeld by cariole the
day before, we took ' to heste ' to Blaaflaten, where we
put up for the night. We arrived at Blaaflaten about two
o'clock, and found the population in holiday dress. After
lunch, about half a dozen lads seeing that we wanted
nests began bringing in Fieldfares, etc. In one little

40 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

wood we took, or had taken for us, in a short time, 54
eggs of Fieldfares. Eleven nests we took had four, five,
three, five, four, five, five, five, three, five, and six eggs each.

The boys here were very intelligent (and understood
our Norsk well!), and we were in luck to get their aid
the only day in the week on which they do not work.
They brought us a couple of nests (our first) of White
Wagtails, taken from stone dykes, one of which with six
eggs we saved. The nests were of cow's hair, and in all
respects similar to that of our own variety. In one of
them the eggs had been incubated about a week; in the
other they were hard set, and we did not blow them.

They showed us a colony of Terns (Common or
Arctic ?) on an island in the river, but only one pair of
eggs were found. A pair of Common Gulls are also going
to breed there.

They told us that there are Eagles in the mountains
above, and many Bears. By 'Eagles,' i.e., Orne, Kough-
legged Buzzards are usually meant.

The inn at Blaaflaten is small and not very refined,
but pretty clean, and the people very civil.

The boys in the evening played on an accordion and
danced on the grass — the Halling-dance — in which, after
spinning round not ungracefully, they spring from the
ground, describe a circle higher than their head with one
foot, and land again exactly on the spot from whence
they sprang.

We went early to roost, not having been to bed last
night.

June 5.

Monday, the 5th of June — a very warm day — we went
down to the river, and I shot one of the Terns, which
turned out to be the Common Tern, and as we saw all
the rest of the colony well, we came to the conclusion
that it was a colony of that species. There were at the

NORWAY 41

time only four pairs, but one of the boys said * mange
hundrede,' so possibly all have not arrived at their
breeding-quarters .

We found we could not get across the river in search
of more Fieldfares, so we started about ten o'clock for
Maristuen.

On the way we saw a couple of Swallow-tail Butterflies,
one of which I succeeded in catching. The Skydsgut
called it ' Marien-fugl ' (Lady-bird).

We stopped at Soeltnaasen for Alston to take a sketch
of the fine part of the valley, and again about an hour and
a half at Borgund, where Alston sketched the old church.
We also went into it ; it is a ' most rummy and original
concern,' as Alston described it in his diary.

Between Husum and Hoag we saw a lot of Keindeer
horns on a cottage wall, but the sum asked was far too
much, fully up to Christiania figures. They first wanted
two dollars, then came down to one dollar each pair,
but we would not give them more than three marks,
and drove on.

On the last stage, coming up the hill to Maristuen, we
saw our first Bluethroat, which I shot with the stick-gun,
its note having first attracted our attention.

On this last stage also we met Knut Nystuen going to
Lserdal with a cart, and we are to see him at Maristuen
on Thursday.

The snow has gone in a wonderful way. On May 18th,
nearly three weeks ago, we, on two occasions, passed
through deep drifts of snow which overtopped our heads
by fully 1J feet. Now there is scarcely any left, and the
hills have a totally different appearance. But snow still
lies in considerable patches, and at Maristuen the birch-
trees are only just budding, and everything is considerably
later.

On our arrival at Maristuen about 6 p.m., we had a

42 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

capital dinner, and nice bedrooms afterwards, and we
went early to bed.

Among the birds we saw to-day were Fieldfares in
great abundance, a few breeding ; White Wagtail, a pair
near the house ; and Wheatears in great numbers.

June 6.

On Tuesday, the 6th of June — a warm but not hot day
— we were out about 9 a.m., and walked about two
English miles along the road up the valley, and returned
along the river to the station. We saw a Dipper, Ring-
ouzels, Fieldfares, Wheatears, two or three Redstarts,
Willow Wrens very plentiful up to the deep snow-line, a
couple of Tree Pipits, Reed Bunting common — and we
heard the Cuckoo. I shot a male Blackcap, which had
been feeding on cranberries — swallowed whole — which
last year's fruit having been so completely preserved
by the snow, even the flavour remained, as I personally
verified.

We took a Fieldfare's nest with six eggs which had
been sat about a couple of days, but few seem to be
breeding yet, as we saw many going in a flock as we
arrived near Maristuen yesterday.

The birch- woods are quite dark yet, and the ground
around is wet and marshy from the melting of the snow.
A very pretty lichen (? Reindeer Lichen) is growing here
in some quantity.

Returning to lunch we separated afterwards, Alston
taking the upper woods, where he fired at (and missed like
a man !) a Skov Ryper. He saw three of them altogether.

My route was down the river about a mile and a half,
and I returned through the willow and osier woods
(Vidie-beltet). I wounded and lost a Bluethroat and put
up a Great Snipe. The Bluethroat uttered a note like a
Whitethroat at the beginning, ending with some short

OLE J. LYSME (1871).

To face page 43.

NOR WA Y 43

warbling notes. In flight it rises in the air, fluttering the
wings, and descends again to its perch.

I found another Fieldfare's nest with six eggs pretty hard
set, and another with only one egg, which I did not take.

Other birds seen to-day by one or other of us were
Kedstart, two or three; Twite, one shot, many seen;
Brambling, a pair seen ; and a pair of Magpies have a
nest close to the station.

We dined at 5 p.m., and after we had skinned our
birds, we had Ole Lysne — nephew of the house, and
cousin to Ole Nystuen — for a long talk. He spoke good
English, and we got much information from him. He
had written to us that his cousin, Ole Nystuen, would not
be able to work for us, and offering his own services, but
we never got this letter. He said he had shot an Eagle
Owl near the bridge, and that he thinks the Divers here
are Ked-throated and not Black-throated — a mistake,
however [E.B.A.]. He told us that it had only taken
three days' warm weather to clear away all the snow, and
that during the rest of the time since we were here before,
it was thoroughly wintry weather with snow and wind.

To-morrow we arranged to go with him to get speci-
mens of Willow Grouse (Skov Byper) about two miles
from this, and to visit a marsh where Great Snipe are
found.

June 7.

On Wednesday, the 7th of June, began our real Fjeld
work. About nine o'clock we started, with Ole Nystuen
as our assistant, to try and get a few specimens of Ptar-
migans (Fjeld Byper). We ascended the long sloping
hill behind Maristuen — and after an hour's walk got to
the Fjeld Byper ground. The first pair we fired at —
sitting (!) — got clean away, the hen going off her nest, in
which we got four handsome eggs. Alston sat down near
the nest to wait the return of the hen, and Ole and I took

44 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

a beat along the hillside, in which beat I killed two fine
males. In many places the snow was very deep and
soft, and we sank often up to our middles in it. We
crossed a burn, Ole going first and feeling the way with
a stick. We took another beat and I killed a pair — $
and ? — right and left. We searched in vain for the
nest. We saw one Snow Bunting, but had not the
small gun handy at the time.

The Ptarmigan's nest was at the root of a dwarf birch,
a slight hollow sparingly lined with a few sprigs of lichen,
and a few of the bird's own feathers. The eggs were
quite fresh, dark, handsome specimens.

It is to be noted that the Ptarmigan breeding here
about the same date as in Scotland, must begin to lay
whenever the snow has sufficiently melted to leave bare
patches of dwarf birch. The whole plateau of the Fille-
fjeld to-day was covered with snow, leaving ' islands,'
so to speak, of birch-covered ground. In many of the
snow patches, as already said, we sank often up to our
middles, the sun being strong and having rapidly softened
it since early morning.

In the present state of the Fjeld, Ptarmigan are much
more easily seen than they are on our stormy Highland
mountains ; but Ole tells us that later, when the dwarf
birch is out, it is far more difficult to see them. The
most he has killed on the ground in a day to his own
gun was eighteen, and several times seventeen. They
are not so plentiful now, or anything like it, as they
were some years ago.

We saw the fresh track of a herd of Reindeer on the
side of a snowdrift at the foot of the mountain (Oddenaes)
about 1J miles off. The herd must have been startled at
the sound of our last shots. Ole ' believed ' that there
must have been over a hundred Reindeer in the herd,
judging from the appearance of the track. Single tracks

NOR WA Y 45

on both sides of the main track were those made by the
calves. We were sorry we had lost this opportunity of
seeing them.

Ole pointed out a rock where Eagles* (Fjeld Orne) had
bred, but we did not think of going, as Ole said it would
be ' nasty work ' on account of the snow.

After lunch (the first call upon Bennett's ham) Alston
returned to Maristuen, and Ole and I took another beat
further off — southward. On a small rock, nearly (accord-
ing to Ole) 4,000 feet above the sea, we found a pair of
Kestrels, and I shot one of them. The nest — or place
for eggs — was scraped out, but no eggs had yet been laid.

Suletinden— the high mountain to the south-east by
south of Maristuen — is 5,300 (?) feet high. In the far
distance to the northward we had a fine view of the
fantastic peaks and rugged pinnacles of the Jotunfjelder,
over 7,000 feet in height, and in all directions an exten-
sive view of the Fjelds. On our return home I shot one
more $ Eyper.

On arriving at the station, Alston told me that he had
seen a pair of Motacilla flava — Yellow Wagtail — near a
Soeter close to Maristuen.

Other birds seen by us during the day were abundance
of Meadow Pipits and several Golden Plover.

Alston saw a Stoat in full summer coat, running and
hunting over the snow close to where we found the
Ptarmigan's nest — about 3,000 feet altitude.

In the evening we had a talk with Ole about the
mammals of the district.

Ten years ago — in 1861 — he fired at a Wolf close to
Maristuen, but his rifle having been double-charged in his
hurry, burst and cut him badly, of which cuts we saw
the marks. He has heard of no wolves for several years,
and believes them to be now quite extinct.
'•'•'• Rough-legged Buzzards.

46 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

A Lynx was killed near Hoeg about three years ago.

Gluttons are still numerous, but are very easily
poisoned — in which way most of them are killed — it
being very difficult to get a shot at them.

Bears are often troublesome with the cattle. The
story in Murray is true, and the man is still alive though
not living here now.

There are no Eats, and few Mice.

We bought a good pair of Keindeer horns from Ole for
half a dollar. They have not ripe horns just now, and
neither flesh nor pelt is worth taking.

Ole says there are no Moles, Hedgehogs, or Badgers
on the Fjelds.

In this connection the following may be of interest : —

Local Norsk names used on the Fillefjeld.
The following names are given on the authority of Ole
J. Lysne and others—

Bat (Vespertilis borealis (?Hooslef) Flager-mus.

Shrew (Sorex vulgaris) Spidts-mus.

Field Vole (A rvicola agrestis) Vand-mus.

Lemming (Lemmus norvegicus) Lom-huund

(= pocket-dog).

[Kat (M us decumarnus) absent Eotte.]

Mouse (Mus domesticus) Mus.

Stoat (Putorius ermineus) Eoskat.

Marten (Maries martes) Morkat.

Glutton (Gulo borealis) Fjeld-fras.

Otter (Lutra lutra) Otter.

[Wolf (Canis lupus) extinct Ulv].

Fox (Canis vulpes) ... Ecev.

\ j.- -0 m - 7 (Hoide Eoev.

Arctic Fox (Cams laqopus) \->, ^

[Blaa Eoev.

Bear (Ursus arctos) Bjorn.

Eeindeer (Eangifer tarandus) Eensdyr.

NORWA Y 47

June 8.

On Thursday, the 8th of June — a cold day — we had a
day's skinning. Three Ptarmigan, the Tern, and the
Kestrel have all turned out good skins.

Xnut Nystuen came up to-day, bringing with him the
box we left at Loerdalsoren to be sent to Christiania. By
a mistake on the part of Butleson at Loerdalsoren, he
sent up this box instead of one we expected from
Christiania with small shot, etc.

Knut says that Bluethroats are common here, and are
called Fugles-Kong (King of the Birds).* He seems to
be aware of its breeding habits, etc.

He is not sure of the Eagle (which Alston, in his diary,
noted as ' evidently A. albicilla ') breeding this year at
Nystuen, but will investigate. He will also ascertain
about a large Hawk on Sturganoset above Nystuen.
Most ducks are on small lakes near Nystuen ; but Knut
does not appear to know much about Snipe, but that was
hardly to be expected.

The Snow Buntings are on Suletinden, not, he thinks,
on Sturganoset.

A pair of tourists ( $ and ? !) arrived from Nystuen
to-day, bringing me letters and papers — from which we
heard for the first time of the horrors of Paris.

June 9.

For Friday, the 9th of June, we planned overnight to
try for Skov Eyper (Willow Grouse), and to start early
before the snow gets soft. We were sorry to learn that
we are not to have the services of Ole Nystuen, as he is
working on his farm and cannot get away.

We were up about 4.30 a.m., and after a cold breakfast
went out with Ole (Lysne) after Skov Eyper, but were

* This was a mistake, for the Fugles-Kong is the Wren, a bird
which was not found by us on the Fillefjeld.

48 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

unsuccessful. We saw several birds but got no shots.
The snow was very deep and soft, and not firm, though
there was a skin of ice on the puddles. We sank at times
at every step up to our middles, and Ole came to the
conclusion that on account of the snow the birds had
shifted to some other quarters. The cock bird crowed
just like our Bed Grouse, and when settling from and
after a long flight exactly copied our bird in spreading out
its wings.

In the wood we saw lots of Kedwings, which were
singing, and Bramblings (which Alston had also noted on
the 6th).

Alston also noted to-day an Eagle — query species ?—
which flew away round Oddenaes in the direction of the
rock which Ole pointed out the day before yesterday as a
breeding-place.

Ole does not know the particulars about its nesting,
but is to try and get them out of an old poaching rascal
yclept Lars, who takes the young often for the sake of
the Government reward, and is rather particular about
concealing them. Ole will, however, try and ' work '
him.

Returning home about 9 a.m. we had a second break-
fast, and then went off to try Srnedalsvand for Black
Duck. It is about three English miles on the road to
Nystuen.

On our way we looked into the Fieldfare's nest, which
contained one egg on the 6th, and found there were now
four. I fingered them, but we agreed to leave them till
our return.

We saw a Dipper, which has — Ole says — lots of names
in Norsk, of which he mentioned three, ' Strande Konge,'
' Fosse Karl,' and ' Tys-fugl.'

On Smedalsvand we saw a Black-throated Diver, but
no Ducks, the whole lake being still covered with ice, save

NORWAY 49

small portions where the river ran into and again out
of it.

We next tried a chain of small pools on burn and
marshy ground, where numbers of Kedshanks were going
in pairs but not yet breeding.

Alston waited at the lower end of the chain for the
chance of Ducks passing, but without result. Meanwhile
Ole and I walked along the road about a mile, and then
crossed over to the top of the chain. We stalked — but
unsuccessfully — a Blue Hare. We then saw four Teal
on a small pond, at which I got right and left shots, kill-
ing two, <? and ? . One fell on the ice, which, though
rotten, was sufficiently strong to bear us. We saw a
couple of Wild Ducks, but did not get a shot.

On the way home through some birch- woods we had a
long chase after two or three wild Skov Ryper. I at last
got a shot, but a long one, as he skimmed downhill close
over the snow, which here was very soft, and we went
often very deep into it. Going up the steep slopes,
hands and knees were often — by me at least — usefully
employed.

Coming home we went to the Fieldfare's nest, in which
I had seen four eggs this morning. At the foot of the
tree I found a broken egg, and on climbing to the nest
found all four eggs gone. We could attribute this to
nothing but the bird herself, and Ole assured us that he
had heard that they did break their eggs if they were
handled, but he did not believe it. A former story was
related to me in Scotland of a similar practice in the
habits of the Common Buzzard. We hope to test it as
regards the Fieldfare later on.

Other birds seen by us to-day were a Great Tit, seen in
front of the house, several Martins (Ole mentions they
breed here), a pair of Ravens, a pair or two of Common
Sandpipers at Smedalsvand, a Common Snipe (shot by

VOL. i. 5

50 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

myself), and one or two Common Gulls (Ole says they
breed here).

We tried on * Skier,' or native snow skates, and though
our efforts were rather ludicrous to the natives, we
believed we should find little difficulty in learning to use
them. Ole says he will take them up some day to the
hill, so that we may have a try with them on the snow.

An English lady and her courier (a Swiss) are staying
here in the rooms over ours. They came yesterday and
remain for some days. The courier cannot speak Norsk,
but the lady herself can, and it rather puzzles us to make
out what use the fellow can be.

The sun sets to-night— as far as we could judge — behind
the hills to the N.N.W., by compass.

In the evening we talked with Ole about legends,
superstitions, etc., and he told us the story of ' Why the
Bear has a stumpy tail,' with great gusto (see Dasent).

He also says that the superstition about seeing the
Wheatear for the first time on a stone or on grass prevails
here as in Scotland, which is curious, but the saying is
more generally applied to the Wagtail.

We saw a Stoat in front of the house.

June 10.

Saturday, the 10th of June, a warm day. Alston stayed
in the house to try to get rid of the nasty cold which is
still hanging about him. He occupied himself with filling
cartridges, working at sketches, and calculating expenses
— one welcome result being that we find we shall be able
to stay longer than we expected, which is meget godt.

He shot the Stoat with the stick-gun. It was a very
small female, its measurements being : head, 1*90 ; head
and body, 8'25 ; tail, 2'80 ; and ear, '50. The tip of the
tail was dark brown, not black.

I had a long day with Ole. We went up the hill again

NORWAY 51

to try for Skov Ryper, Black Duck, etc. The lake where
we expected to see the latter is still frozen up.

Just above the birch belt, up got two 2 Ptarmigan
and a cock, one of the females off her nest of seven eggs.
I shot her, and Ole killed the other two. The nest was a
slight hollow, lined sparingly with juniper tops, leaves of
dwarf birch, and a few of the bird's feathers. It was
situated at the root of a juniper bush, overhung by a
branch of juniper, which almost completely concealed it.

We now had a bad walk through about a mile of a field
of snow, and in the centre we plunged through a bog up
to our middles. The marsh water under two or three feet
of snow was piercingly cold, but with snow water the
cold does not last long, the reaction in this case soon
putting our feet and legs in a glow of warmth.

We visited a rock where Eagles * are said to have bred
on the side of a burn. A snowdrift at least 12 feet
deep, hung on the edge of the cliff on both sides, and the
whole rock was dripping with melting snow. A few
more days of this kind of weather and the lakes will be
clear of ice.

Ole tells me that the Berg-Ulf (or Eagle Owl) breeds, or
used to breed, every year on the opposite side of the valley
within sight of this house — and he will speak to ' Lars
Porsena ' to-night about trying to find it.

He pointed out to me also a Soeter upon the roof
of which — or of another adjoining — a Fjeld Ryper
(Ptarmigan) had its nest some years ago, and when the
girl came up to the Soeter in summer, the birds became
almost quite tame. This Sceter is the same which stands
just above the pools where yesterday I killed the Teal,
and where to-day Ole killed another.

From description the Snowy Owl has probably been
seen here upon occasions.

* Bough-legged Buzzards.

52 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Mrs. Whitehead, the lady with the Swiss courier stay-
ing here, reports having seen five or six Lemmings
to-day. So there will be plenty soon. It is several years
since they were here, and as it is now past their time we
did not expect to get them.

June 11.

Sunday, the llth of June, was a very warm day, and
the birch-trees are fast becoming green. We had a stroll
in the forenoon, and took a nest of Fieldfare's eggs, five,
of very large size.

On the way back we encountered a Lemming in the
road. He did not try to escape, but sat up on his hind-
quarters, with his back against a rock, looking comicalJy
ferocious, and keeping up a continuous volley of sharp,
angry barks. Alston had no difficulty in capturing him
with his cap. Ole says they usually appear in May, and
do not disappear till the following spring. In winter
they principally burrow beneath the snow. He has
seen cows catch them and eat them, and believes that
Keindeer do the same. If there is no wind they can
swim across Smedalsvand (about half an English mile).
I identified the feet found in Kestrel's stomach as those
of this species.

We saw a Northern Titmouse (Parus borealis) to-day.

We skinned the Kype, the Stoat, and the Lemming,
and saw and unsuccessfully pursued another Stoat, pro-
bably the mate of the one Alston killed, which was a
female in milk.

Ole says there are ' Kat-ugle ' Owls up here, but only
in winter.

Also he says he saw a Bat the other evening.

Old ' Lars Porsena ' is to go to-morrow in search of
Eagles and Berg-ulfs. If unsuccessful he is to have
1 mark for his trouble. If lucky, 2 marks per egg, which
will not be dear. If the Eagle's nest is not too far away

NORWAY 53

he is to tell us, so that we can be present at the taking of
them.

Knut Nystuen was over to-day, and says he can see
nothing of the Eagles on Sturganoset.

June 12.

Monday, the 12th of June, a very warm day, we went
up in birch- wood, where we separated, Alston taking the
upper part and I the lower, he having the large gun for
the chance of Skov Ryper.

Alston got only a few nests of Fieldfares and one of
Kedstart. The latter contained five eggs, but the nest,
which was composed principally of feathers of Skov
Ryper, with a little hair and shreds of alder-bark, and
in a hole in a rotten tree, could not be got out in any-
thing like a perfect state. He also got a Water Ouzel
(Dipper) on his way home. Also he found a Redpoll's
nest just begun. The nest of the Redpoll was lined
entirely with small roots, no willow catkins.

I took the lower part, and during the day found four
nests of Bramblings (three with eggs), two of Redwings
(one with six eggs, the other with young and one egg),
one with young of Redpoll (large-sized and light-coloured
birds), and nest and four eggs of Song Thrush. I saw
two Woodcocks, one of which I could have shot.

The Fieldfares' nests brought in by Alston had 6, 4, 4,
4, 3, 3, and 3 eggs respectively.

The nest of the Redwing with six eggs, off which I
shot the $ bird, and the one with young, were like
those we found at Tvinde, and were situated on the top
of rotten stumps, one about 2J feet from the ground, in
an open part of the birch-belt, the other about a foot
from the ground, and not 3 yards from a nest with
young of a Redpoll.

The three nests of the Brambling which I took, and off

54 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

the first two of which I shot the $ birds, had 7, 7, and
4 eggs respectively; were in birch-trees as those at Tvinde,
and the eggs, which were quite fresh, were not so well
marked as those taken at Tvinde.

Lars found the Eagles, but not the nest. He saw seven
or eight Eeindeer. We paid him two marks for his long
day's work, from early this morning till late at night.
We ourselves think of going later on to this Eagle rock,
which is about three miles north of Maristuen. Lars will
try further for the Eagle Owls.

Ole took my gun — which has cut open my cheek, as
it did two years ago— and went to a small lake near
Nystuen. He saw sixteen Black Ducks,* and wounded
one slightly. He saw one Lemming.

June 13.

On Tuesday, the 13th of June — a very hot day — we
went with Ole to a birch-wood, about three miles down
the valley from Maristuen, to search for Brarnblings, Ked-
wings, etc., but had poor luck, as we only found one nest
of Fieldfare with five eggs, and two of Bramblings, only
one of which had eggs — seven in number — in it. This
one had a lot of bits of wasps' paper built into it. We
saw no Redwings.

Four men have during the last few days been pursuing
a Bear in the mountains below Maristuen, and it is now
supposed that it is lying about the hillside opposite to
that on which is the birch-wood we were at to-day.

June 14.

On Wednesday, the 14th of June — a very hot day — we
were out about 7 a.m., and had a long day in the big
birch- wood of Maristuen.

Alston was unsuccessful, being disappointed of shots

* These turned out to be Wild Duck, not Scoters.

NORWAY . 55

by two fine $ Skov Kyper, and finding absolutely nothing
but a nest of Fieldfare with five eggs after we separated.

I did much better in the upper part of the wood. I
took eight nests of Fieldfares, containing respectively 4,
5, 4, 5, 7, 4, 4, and 2 eggs each. One or two eggs of the
nest of seven were about three days' incubated, the rest
quite fresh. Many of the nests were on old tree-stumps,
and most within reach of the ground. Some of the birds
were very bold, swooping down to within a foot or two
of my head.

I found a nest with six eggs of the Kedwing. It was
in the low fork of a birch-tree about 2J feet or 3 feet from
the ground. The parent birds were both seen, and the $
was seen to go to the nest and afterwards was put off it.

I found two nests of Bramblings, one with eight eggs
and one with four. The former was the first nest we
have obtained built in an alder-tree. I shot both the
<? and $ of this nest. The $ bird of the eight nest
was very bold, perching within a yard of my head when
I was at the nest. These and two others without eggs
were in birch and alder- trees (the eight nest in an alder),
about 10 feet or 12 feet from the ground. The nests were
composed of lichens, catkins, moss, wasp-paper, lined
with feathers of Skov Byper and down of some plant,
possibly thistle, as, indeed, are most of the nests we have
seen. In some the thin outer bark of birch- trees is also
used.

I shot also a Northern Marsh Tit and one very hand-
some Lesser Eedpoll. This last bird is not the same
species as the birds observed by me at the nest with
young on the 12th. These latter were, as already stated,
large birds, light-coloured, more robustly made, and I did
not discern the slightest tint of rose-colour in the breast,
—the $ .

We saw a couple of Skov Byper (Willow Grouse) before

56 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Alston and I separated in the morning, but we had no
gun, and he went back for his. I tried to catch the ? as
she sat in the grass, and got to within a couple of feet of
her. Alston afterwards saw another $ .

I saw another Woodcock to-day, and Tree Pipits were
quite plentiful.

Alston found King Ouzels apparently about to breed in
a low rock close to the house, the species being common
in this glen.

The Great Titmouse is building under the eaves of the
house.

To-night we completed the filling of the ' Tine,' which
now contains 233 Fieldfares' eggs (in addition to the six
nests and eggs in our big box), six Goldeneyes, two nests
of seven and four eggs of Fjeld Ryper, and one nest of
Redwings.

June 15.

On Thursday, the 15th of June, a very hot day, we were
up at 4.30 a.m., and started with Ole and Lars after the
' Eagles.' We drove in the carioles as far as the top of
Smedalsvand, about four miles (English), and then sent
the carioles back.

Having first cacheed some beer, we started at six o'clock.
Thence, having crossed the bridge, we walked some five
miles further over a pass leading into Valdersdal. Nearly
all our way was over deep snow, which was, luckily,
pretty hard, a sharp night's frost having thus rendered
the walking on these high f jelds not so bad as usual.

On attaining the ridge and getting into the valley we
had our first taste of the day's bad luck. Ole saw a
Ryper (Ptarmigan), and asked to be allowed a shot, to
which we consented, and he shot two.

Then from behind a knoll in front of us, by the side of
a little frozen lake, away went five splendid Eeindeer.
The shot must have startled them. They first walked

NORWAY 57

away slowly, and soon stopped to look back, as they
could not go very fast over the frozen snow.

We had a capital view of them through the glasses.
Two were old stags, one with a grand head, the other
three young ones. They are certainly very fine animals,
but want the stately carriage of the head of our Ked Deer.

They walked away slowly, halting and looking back
every now and then, leaped the river, which ran between
high banks of frozen snow, and went away up the hill at
a leisurely pace. The old stag with the finest head and
horns was last, doubtless fat and lazy. The young stags
of two and three years old led the way.

When they were out of sight we went on to the Fjeld
Orn's rock, where Lars saw the ' Eagles ' on the 12th,
about five miles from the bridge at Smedalsvand. We
soon saw the male bird, a magnificent Fjeld Orn,
extremely pale, almost white-looking below, with a
well-marked dark band on his tail and a dark spot
under each wing. At the distance, which was great,
the bird even then looked small to me for an Eagle, and
had a peculiar, something, about the light cast of its
plumage. On a nearer view being obtained this peculiar
light colour in both this bird and its mate was seen, and
the white tail with dark band across, and two dark mark-
ings on the under side of the wings.

But here we have the Fjeld Orn, whose young, Lars
has taken over and over again, and received for them the
Government reward of half a dollar. It is shown to the
Lansman of the district, who cuts off its feet and then
gives a certificate to the person who produces them, and
who can then claim the reward. This reward is given
for the Fjeld Orn only in Christianstift,* and not in
Bergenstift, but the birds are just carried across from
the one stift to the other. And here was the bird in

* Stift = County.

58 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

question, so how could we doubt the authenticity of his
royalty ?

It took us a very long time before the nest was found.
At last the hen bird rose from it as pale as the male, and
with exactly similar markings, which puzzled us not a
little, but not for long (see infra).

Both birds returned and flew close overhead when Ole
and I scrambled up the steep place below the nest. We
got to within 10 or 12 feet of it, but could not go
further. I fired at and, as I thought, slightly wounded
one of the birds. We came down, which was not quite so
easy as going up, and when we were about halfway down
the hen returned to the nest, sat for a little while on the
edge, and then hopped gently in. Deucedly rum-looking
' eagle,' I thought.

After lunch we scrambled up a steep bank and got
above the nest. Lars was lowered down by a rope whilst
I stood ready to shoot as the bird came off. But off she
would not come, and Lars could not get to the nest, as
the rope was too short. Nor, I thought, could he have
got to it even with a long one, as the cliff overhung very
much. We now rolled down big stones, which went
crashing down close past the nest, but the hen bird
would not move.

For two hours at least we tried to get her to move,
lowering Lars down at three or four different places,
firing shots at a point of rock not far from the nest,
but all was useless.

As a dernier resort Lars and Ole again went to the
foot, and climbed up close to the nest. Shouting and
stones again failed, but when at last Lars fired first a
shot close to the nest, then a bullet through the edge of
the nest, and still the bird would not come off, we came
to the conclusion that it was the wounded or dead bird
that was in the nest, though I could hardly reconcile this

NOR WA Y 59

with the fact that I had watched the bird I had fired at
fly off with a broken quill-feather in his wing, and after-
wards saw him flying about whilst the other was in
the nest.

So we turned homewards, disconsolate, but I deter-
mined to come back next day with a longer rope and
solve the mystery.

On our way home we caught a female Lemming among
big stones with some difficulty, and we had a ' glissade '
down a steep snow slope. (N.B. — We would not have
been the worse of leather!)

We were right glad of the beer we had cacheed, and
about 8 or 9 p.m. we reached home very tired.

June 16.

On Friday, the 16th of June, which was a warm day,
but not so hot as the previous day, starting at 10 a.m.,
we carioled up again to Smedalsvand, having packed up
first some things we want at Nystuen. On the way we
met Knut Nystuen with a party of tourists.

Alston drove on to Nystuen, and I, accompanied by
Ole and Lars, went again to Valdersdal. Again we saw
the same Keindeer.

This time we went to the top of the rock and at once
lowered Lars down. This time off came the bird — not
dead or wounded, as we had supposed, but all right. She
soon turned and came flying straight towards us. When
I raised my gun she turned up her breast and deviated to
the left, and I gave her one barrel. She was hit in the
head, and fell down far below on a patch of dwarf birch
and juniper, quite dead this time. And now I knew my
bird to be — what I had all along suspected — a fine speci-
men, light-coloured, and old, of Archibuteo lagopus. In
vain Lars tried to get to the nest, which contained three
eggs ; from the top and from the bottom, at least half a

6o TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

dozen different ways, but it could not be done. However,
I was well pleased at getting the bird, though to have the
eggs lying within a few feet of Lars' hand was somewhat
tantalising too.

We heard, however, of two more nests near Nystuen.
Ole and I arrived at Nystuen about 9 p.m. I felt really
tired to-night, having done a good fifteen miles' walking
through snow and marsh and hard road.

Meanwhile Alston, after parting with me at the
Smedalsvand, went on to Nystuen in the forenoon. On
the way he saw a Grey Crow near the Soeter, the same
place where they bred last year (according to author's MS.
here [Nystuen]) which, by the way, was not written by
Herr Westren, but by Herr Candidat Hooslef, who was
here with him).

After dinner, Knut not being to the fore, Alston took a
turn through the birch- wood. He only heard two or three
Bramblings and shot one. He took a lot of Fieldfares'
eggs, in nests with six, five, four, four, and one, respec-
tively ; and he found a nest in a solitary stunted fir-tree,
which was either a Siskin's or a Kedpoll's with two eggs,
but not seeing the old birds he left them. He saw several
Skov Eyper (Willow Grouse), but had only the stick-gun
with him. Afterwards he skinned the Lemming caught
yesterday. It contained six foetuses, which he preserved
in aquavite.

To-morrow Ole is to take us to another place, near
Nystuen, where the Fjeld Orn breeds. Some years they
say there are almost none on the Fjeld, in others plenty.
Lars returned to Maristuen, and is to-morrow to go in
search of Eagle Owls and more Buzzards.

On my way home I saw a pair of Scaup below the
bridge, and also a pair of Common Scoter ; of the latter I
shot the $ , but lost it in the river.

NORWAY 61

June 17.

Saturday, the 17th of June, a cloudy day with heavy
rain in the afternoon, we went with Ole in search of
another Fjeld Orn's nest. We started about 10.30 a.m.,
and began with a stiff climb up the shoulder of Sturganoset
behind Nystuen. From the plateau above we had another
fine view of the grand chain of the Jotun-Fjeld. We
crossed over this high Fjeld about \\ miles, and waded
through snow and water— about ankle deep and despe-
rately cold — across the end of a large lake, the Slettnings-
vand. I fired at, killed, and lost a Snow Bunting, of
which bird we afterwards saw a good many.

Going round the lake we came to the first rock where
Lars had directed Ole — a good-looking rock. We fired a
shot underneath, but no Fjeld Orn appeared.

But again we had the mortification of finding that our
shot had startled Reindeer, a small herd of ten stags, for
we saw them go far out upon the frozen lake, where they
lay down, knowing themselves to be perfectly safe. We
afterwards came across their tracks and lairs on the snow
slopes.

We now had a long trudge through snow and along
steep boulder-bestrewed hillsides to the second and third
rocks indicated to Ole by Lars, but all our long tramp was
in vain. The sky had become clouded and about two
o'clock began heavy rain, which continued all day with
little intermission.

The second rock, just above the lower end of the lake,
was a round grass-grown rock, and had the nest been in
any part of it, it would have been easily reached by a
man carrying a load on his back.

We had now to cross the river which runs out of the
Slettningsvand into the lower lake — Gronevand. This
we did knee-deep and with the snow water sucking hard
at our legs but without any feeling of insecurity, though

62 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

had the rain commenced a few hours sooner doubtless we
could not have crossed at all. We got down to the road
about three miles from Nystuen and reached the station
about seven o'clock, after perhaps fifteen or sixteen miles
of very nasty soft walking, but we were not very tired
after all.

About half a mile before reaching Nystuen I found a
Fieldfare's nest with six eggs, on the top of a post in an
outhouse or turf shed (house for keeping peat dry in).

We saw two Hooded Crows near Kirkesoeterne, one of
which birds Alston had previously noted yesterday.

Alston having omitted to bring spare clothing, had to
wear in the evening a most original pair of old trousers
borrowed from Knut Nystuen, and his own waterproof.

June 18.

On Sunday, the 18th of June, rainy and stormy all day,
we did not go out, but wrote letters to Feilden and
Dresser, sorted eggs, skinned birds, etc. Alston found
the Kough-legged Buzzard's stomach contained remains
of at least five Lemmings.

June 19.

On Monday, the 19th of June, a fine but not warm day,
we went through the birch-wood to look for Skov Hyper,
Ducks, etc. Of the former we saw none where last Friday
Alston had seen several. The wet weather of Saturday
and Sunday must have caused them to shift their
quarters.

We visited the nest found by Alston on Friday, but
could not shoot the old bird, nor could we identify her in
the bad light — so we left her. The only birds seen in the
vicinity were Eedpolls, to which species we had little
doubt the nest belonged.

Going down the Lcerdal, below the bridge, I shot $
and ? Scoters, but lost the 3 .

NOR WA Y 63

Thence to Osevand; Ole Lysne found on a promontory
(at present an island) two Scoter's eggs, cold and rather
dirty, probably belonging to the $ which I shot and lost
on Friday. These eggs were among dwarf birch, but
there was no nest, only a small particle of down. On the
same peninsula Alston found an old nest of the same
species, and a Kedshank's with four eggs.

Alston also found a Keed Bunting's nest with five eggs,
from which the male bird was flushed.

This day we saw two pairs of Bluethroated Warblers,
but could not find the nests. They were frequenting low
scrub, a mixture of dwarf birch and juniper, which fringes
the shores of the Osevand.

Near Nystuen we took a nest of Fieldfare with five eggs.

Coming home, Ole spoke to a little lad at Kirkesoeterne
to look for eggs, and in the evening he brought to us at
Nystuen four nests of Wheatears, containing 7, 5, 4 and 3
eggs, and one nest of six White Wagtails, for which he
received skillings, and is to look for more.

Alston re-inspected this evening the foxes' skins — they
were all Vulpes lagopus — but he could not understand
why the two should still be in grey winter coat.

June 20.

On Tuesday, the 20th of June — a fine, cloudy day — Ole
came in about 6 a.m. with news of another pair of Fjeld
Orn which a man from Aardal had seen on Saturday when
crossing over the Fjeld. We were soon up, dressed, and
ready — and after a hurried breakfast we started in two
carts for the bridge at Smedalsvand, the Aardal man
going with us on his return home. But at the Soater,
below Store Frostdal, he went to pick up his rifle which
he had left there on Saturday, and found he could not
cross the river. So we had to leave him. Ole got
instructions as to the locality.

64 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

At the head of the Smedalsvand we crossed the bridge,
the water being so high that we had to wade nearly
knee-deep. We also had to wade a smaller stream below
Lille Frostdal, and went up that valley to a large rock
at its head. We saw the $ fly away across the valley,
and then it was joined by another bird at another rock
about half a mile off. Ole had crossed to the other side
to look at some smaller rocks — Alston and I keeping up
the side opposite to him. Coming under the big rock I
fired off a shot, and, to our delight, off came the ? from
the nest.

It looked easy, and we climbed round the end of the
rock to the top. After lunching, Ole and I began the
descent. We found it easy, I going first with the rope
round me. A steep slope led to within 8 feet of the nest,
and on looking over I saw two nearly white eggs, lying
in a slight depression, which was lined with dry grass.
Only a very few sticks formed the rim of the nest. I was
not now quite above the nest, but rather to one side, nor
did I feel confident that I could reach it, or, if I did, that
Ole could pull me up again, as the purchase was bad, and
the rope from being led round a corner would have had
too much friction.

Also, there being only two eggs in the nest, and the
birds shy, and evidently not sitting, both Ole and myself
thought it better to wait another day or two until a lad
comes up from Loerdal who is a capital cragsman, and
to whom Ole had written last night, offering in our name
two dollars to come and take the Valdersdal eggs. We
shall be able to take the eggs from both these nests when
he comes.

We left the rope under a rock, and now proceeded
across by a pass to Slutedal, where we thought it possible
that another nest might be, as a third bird had been
seen, but in this we were disappointed. The third bird

NOR WA Y 65

is in all probability the Valdersdal widower, as Valdersdal
is only about four miles from Lille Frostdal.

And so we went down Slutedal to the bridge, where our
carioles met us at seven o'clock by previous arrangement,
and where — at the bridge — we had again cacheed some
beer. We had a very cold drive home to Nystuen, and on
our arrival ate an astounding dinner.

In the evening Ole saw another lad from Bjoberg on
the Hallingdal side of the Fjeld, who knew Fjeld Orn's
nests — and arranged with him to deliver to us at Maris-
tuen any eggs he could get, also birds, on Sunday or
Monday next, for half a dollar each — just the Government
reward for their destruction.

It may be of interest here to note that between Maris-
tuen and Nystuen, on the north of the road, there are seven
valleys running at right angles to, and connected with,
the main valley of Sniedal — the upper part of Loerdal.

1. Valdersdalen — so called because the old road to
Y alders runs through it.

2. Slutedalen— the sleety valley, or valley of sleet.

3. Lille Frostdalen— the little frost valley.

4. Store Frostdalen — the great frost valley.

5. Gronne-Vand — the green lake.

6. Slettnings-Vand — the lake of the level ground.
The 7th is Smedalen itself — the valley of the smith,

ashes having been found below ground in some places.

The valley where I shot the Kestrel above Maristuen
on the south side of the road is Oddedal — the mountain
above it, Oddeberg.

In Slutedal to-day we took a nest and six eggs of the
Wheatear.

June 21.

On Wednesday, the 21st of June, a fine day though
stormy in the morning, the lad from Loerdal — Peder
Hougen by name — arrived early in the morning, and

VOL. i. 6

66 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

must have started immediately after receiving Ole's letter
about five o'clock the night before, and we arranged to
go after the ' Eagle's nest ' to-morrow. To-day he
would have been too tired, and the morning was too
stormy.

We had a lazy day, there being nothing much to do out-
side, and we packed up this night, as we are to return direct
to Maristuen to-morrow after taking the Eagles' nests.

We took and identified the nest in the fir-tree, a Red-
poll's with five eggs, and we shot the female. Had we
looked into the nest we could have identified it without,
but having heard that Siskins bred in birch-wood on the
Fjelds we did not wish to disturb the birds too much. The
nest was composed of small twigs of the tree it was
built in — a spruce-fir, the only one we have seen around
Nystuen — and it was lined with willow catkins, Skov
Eyper's feathers, etc.

In the evening Ole Lysne went out to look for nests,
and came in with our first nest of the Blue-throated
Warbler, with six eggs. The nest was on the ground
under a juniper bush, and quite exposed. The bird was
not seen. It was within two yards of a nest and six eggs
of the Meadow Pipit, these latter eggs being long-shaped
and dark.

When Ole heard how good his capture of the Blue-
throat's nest was, he was very glad, and made most
earnest and tender inquiries after the freshness of the
eggs and after their safety. He is getting really keen
now, and I shall be much mistaken if he do not prove
a valuable correspondent in after-years.

A lad brought us in to-day a nest and six eggs of the
Wheatear.

June 22.

On Thursday, the 22nd of June, a warm day, we started
from Nystuen about six o'clock, and drove down to the

NOR WA Y 67

Smedalsvand Bridge by seven o'clock. We then sent on
our carioles to Maristuen.

We got to the Lille Frost dal nest at about half -past
nine. I got within shot of the nest and shot the female
as she left it. Then Peder Hougen went down. He
simply gave the rope a twist round the projecting rock
above the nest and went down hand under hand, and in a
few minutes he brought up the two eggs, which were
pretty hard set. One is very long-shaped, and not well
marked. We then retrieved the dead bird. She had
fallen at least 250 feet, and smashed her skull badly
against the rock.

We then proceeded towards the old nest in Valdersdal.
We went a little out of the direct line, which made the
distance fully five miles between the two nests. The
snow on the plateau of the Fjeld was very firm and good
walking — the best, indeed, we have yet had — but in
Slutedal it was very soft.

We reached the top of the rock in Valdersdal about
two o'clock. As before, Peder simply took the rope in his
hand, and we saw him literally running down the rock,
bearing hardly at all upon the rope which Ole and I held
at the top.

The male bird showed, and I fired a long shot without
effect. Then to our surprise off came a second ? from
the nest, which he must have picked up since the first ?
was shot on the 16th. Both birds got clear away, and we
were not altogether sorry for it.

In about five or ten minutes from the time we saw
Peder 's head disappear we heard a shout far below, and on
looking over we saw him right down at the foot of the
cliff, and he shouted up that he had the three eggs safe in
Alston's collecting-box. From the time he left us at the
top till we heard his shout, he had not so much as given a
single direction, or, indeed, spoken at all. He simply — to

68 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

us — seemed to run down into the nest, take the eggs, and
appear again 300 feet below us. He was certainly a
wonderful cragsman.

The Lille Frostdal nest was situated on a cliff, about
250 feet from the base, with a steep green slope above to
within three feet of the nest. Of nest there was scarcely
any, a slight hollow lined with dry grass, no wool or
feathers, and only about half a dozen dry juniper sticks
on the extreme outer edge. The two eggs were nearly
white, much longer shaped than type specimens, and had
been incubated about twelve days.

The Valdersdal nest — according to Lars Eraker's
description on the 16th — was a large structure, formed of
juniper branches. Its getting took about 50 feet of rope.
The eggs were rounder and better marked than those in
Lille Frostdal, and had been incubated by two females,
the first having been shot by me on the 16th.

We now came down and met at the foot Old Lars, who
was after Reindeer no doubt. He had seen nothing of
Eagles on Saturday, but told us he had a nest and five
fresh eggs of the Snow Bunting, which he had found
placed under a stone on the slope of the hill at Suletinden,
and had taken to Maristuen for us. Truly our luck is
good. He had shot the ? bird and brought her also.

We now rested, and had an hour's snooze in the sun-
shine, which was very warm to-day. Meanwhile Lars
started for home by a near cut. After this we returned
to the bridge, where, about 5.30 p.m., we had our beer and
a pipe. We tried Skiddor.

Here Ole found another Eedshank's nest with four
eggs close to the bridge.

Our carioles came about seven o'clock, and we drove
on to Maristuen.

Before we had got dinner Lars came in with another
Bough-legged Buzzard, a fine $ , which he had killed

NOJt IV A Y 69

close to or at Smedalsbjerg, the mountain just above the
soeter at Smedalsvand. He saw both birds and knows the
nest is in Smedalsbjerg. To-morrow I shall go and take,
or see it taken, while Alston will have a hard day's work
at home skinning and blowing.

Both the Kough-legs shot to-day are sadly mauled ;
mine by the concussion against the rock, and Lar's by a
huge bullet wround from his rifle.

We also received from Lars the Snow Bunting's nest
and eggs, and the bird, which has the appearance of
having been shot with a bullet also ! ! The nest is perfect
and the eggs lovely.

He also brought us eleven eggs of Ptarmigan wrhich he
found to-day on [place not named]. These eggs were
wonderfully packed by Lars in his spare stockings,
gloves, etc.

June 23.

On Friday, the 23rd of June, a fine day, we breakfasted
at 8.30 a.m., and then I started, in company with Ole,
Lars, and Peder, for the rock where Lars shot the Rough-
legged Buzzard yesterday, Smedalsbjerg, above the lower
end of Smedalsvand. We rowed across the foot of the
lake, which is now almost clear of ice, in a horridly leaky
boat, which kept us baling all the way over.

We climbed up the slope to the nest and saw the $ bird
flying about and crying loudly. We found the nest. I
climbed up b}' a green slope to above the nest, Peder
giving me a helping hand with the rope, and I taking my
gun for the chance of a shot, but the bird was too wild
and would not come near us at all. Ole now came up, and
Peder went with his usual jaunty step down into the nest,
having, however, this time the rope round him.

The nest \vas about 10 feet below the edge of the rock,
and Peder let himself over by doubling the rope as before.
He was soon up again with two eggs. The nest was not

70 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

large, and had no fur or feathers for lining, which is
different from the habit of our Common Buzzard in
Scotland. The lining was grass.

A pair of Eavens have a nest in a large rock close to
this one with the Buzzard's nest. Both rocks are visible
from the rock.

We returned across the lake and home. On the way
home I heard from Ole that the ' Bjerg-ulf ' (Eagle Owl)
had been heard booming on the hill — within a couple of
miles of the house — on Friday night, and again on
Monday (after the rain). He has no doubt they have a
nest, and as he knows the place, we shall go to-morrow in
search. Lars also had heard it, but for reasons best
known to himself, has not yet said anything about it
to Ole.

Peder left to-day for Lcerdal. Then Lars said he knew
two more Fjeld Orn's nests, one in Oddedal and one near
Suletind. We know what he is up to, so we have made
a distinct agreement, through Ole, that we pay him so
much each for the eggs, and no pay at all if -he does not
get them. He will, he says, take another man with him
to-morrow.

Should the Hallingdal lad get a nest or two by Sunday
we should not be badly off for Kough-legs !

Alston had his hands full in the house to-day while we
were out, skinning the Kough-legged Buzzards— a proper
job — and other birds, blowing eggs, etc. He succeeded
in making very good skins of the two, despite their being
so damaged by the rock-concussion and by Lars' bullet.
Of the two eggs in the first nest, he found one was addled.

June 24.

Saturday, the 24th of June, was not a warm day, and
there were showers of hail. Both of us had internal
troubles last night, and Alston was very sick. We

NORWAY 71

attributed it to the harn — rather ' french ' — on which we
are principally fed here.

In the forenoon we had a search amongst a number of
small sloping rocks for the Bjerg-ulf, but in vain, as we
saw nothing of them, but we found the remains of a Blue
Hare which had probably been killed by one of them.

In the evening we went to the birch- wood. I returned
to the nest of (? Mealy) Kedpoll which I found with
young on the 12th, also the Redwings and Bramblings
close to it. In the former I found a dead young one,
which we are preserving in spirit ; the rest must have
been destroyed by some bird or beast, and the old birds
are not to be seen.

The Redwings had quitted the nest, but in the Bramb-
ling's I got six eggs. We found also a couple of nests of
four eggs each of Fieldfares. One nest of eggs is the
handsomest and extremest variety we have yet procured,
and is probably a second laying, as the shells were thin
and light-coloured.

Alston saw a Mountain Hare in the wood, the first he
had himself seen.

We ordered another box for our skins, as the Rough-
legged Buzzards will not go in our present one.

According to Ole, this Fjeld may be spelt either ' Fille-
fjeld' (fille=a file) or 'File-fjeld' (file = a rag). The
former is the oldest mode of spelling. It is about 22
miles by 16 miles English, is bounded by Aardal on the
north, by Hallingdal on the south, and joins on to the
Sognefjeld on the west, and the Valdersfjeld on the east.

It is doubtful if Mr. Godman was on the Fillefjeld at
all, as he only spoke of ' working the Fjeld (Valdersfjeld?)
from Thune.'

June 25.

Sunday, the 25th of June, was showery. Ole went
down the road and brought back the Wagtail's nest—

72 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

now with six eggs — which we had found empty on the
13th.

In the afternoon we went to the wood, found the Mealy
Kedpoll's nest with five eggs, which we found on the 12th,
and also a Redstart's nest with six, but in both the eggs
were so hard set that we could not blow them. Also a
Fieldfare's, with fledged young, of which we brought four
home, and somebody brought in three nests of Meadow
Pipit, of which two contained six eggs each.

We saw native dances in the kitchen. They waltzed
very slowly for about half an hour at a stretch, and some
of the men performed the ' Hailing dance,' a series of most
extraordinary capers, including a pirouette in the air and
kicking the roof !

June 26.

On Monday, the 26th of June — a hot day — we meant
to have gone up Suletinden, but my inside being still out
of order we put it off.

We went instead along the Nystuen Road, searching
the side of Smedalsvand for Ducks and Blue-throated
Warblers.

Below the bridge at Gronlien Soater one of the Nystuen
men gave us eight Teal eggs (incubated about four days) and
the down out of the nest, also a White Wagtail's, with five,
only one of which, however, we could blow. We got also a
couple of nests of four each of Redshank's eggs, one at
Nystuen, incubated about a week, and one at Osevand,
incubated about four days, and at Nystuen a nest of
Willow Warblers.

Our search for Ducks' nests was in vain, and we believe
that the heavy floods, and consequent extension of the
surface of the lakes, have destroyed most of the nests, as
scarcely any birds were seen except two Scaup on the
lake near Kirkesoeterne and one ? of the same species
on the lake at Nystuen. We had a long search at

NOR WA Y 73

Osevand for Bluethroats ; we saw birds, but could find
no nests.

We had dinner at Nystuen, and drove home to Maristuen
in a Stohl-kjoere, arriving at 11 p.m., too late to hear
what Lars had done when out over the hills to-day.

June 27.

Tuesday, the 27th of June — a hot day — I was all right
again, and the Suletind expedition came off. This
morning on the plate along with our breakfast eggs were
two fine eggs of Hough-legged Buzzards obtained by Lars
yesterday on Sore Sul, behind Suletind. He reported
that the nest was in a bad place. The eggs, handsome
specimens, were fresh, or with faint blood-streaks in one.

About eight o'clock we started for Suletind, going up the
old road (Norsk, gamle vei), at the side of which we saw
two Bluethroats, and, after a short search, found the
nest, the $ flying off. The nest only contained a couple
of eggs, so we left it for the present.

Then we had a long and unsuccessful hunt for Sne-
fugle, only seeing one pair.

Ascending a slope near the base of Suletinden we had a
good view at last of Bjerg-ulf . It rose from a stone in
front of us, and had our guns been unslung, it is possible
we might have killed it at long range. As it flapped
slowly away the round appearance of the head, neck, and
body appeared very distinctly. It took the direction of
the rocky hills above Maristuen, where we had been
searching for the nest on the 24th.

We found excreta containing undigested bits of Eein-
deer skin and hair ; which Ole said was Glutton's doing.

We had a long vain search for Snow Buntings' nests,
trying every way we could think of to discover them, but
we only saw four birds altogether, one of which, a $ , we
shot.

74 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

On a bare ledge of a rock close to the old road— a some-
what peculiar situation — we found a Fieldfare's nest.

The view from the top of Suletind is very fine. The
grand range of the rugged-peaked Jotunfjelds, Gallopoegen
towering in their midst, and innumerable small glaciers
sloping down the dark ravines. Though at a distance of
thirty-six miles, we could distinctly make out the crevasses
in the green ice, which peeped out here and there through
the snow. To the left, or west, and fifty-six miles distant,
visible past the western shoulder of the Jotunfjelds, a
peculiarly-shaped peak — Lodals-Kauben — rises over 6,000
feet from the centre of a sea of ice, the Justedal glacier.
Other smaller glaciers appear on other ranges, both to the
to the north-west and north-east. East of us rises a
mountain which is immediately above Blaaflaten, and
south-west, or nearly west, the mountains above Thune
are seen.

Between us and the Jotun mountains lie the valleys I
have before mentioned, which we searched for Buzzards'
nests, each with its frozen lake, and, further off, the still
larger and still ice-bound lakes of the Tuen Vand, etc.

For half an hour we remained on the top, having
lunch, a pipe, and a snooze, and then we descended the
opposite side of the mountain.

We saw two more Snow Buntings, of which I shot one,
a male ; nests no go ; and we caught a couple of young
Lemmings, about half-grown, after a hard dig under big
stones, for which we had what Bab — my keeper at Duni-
pace, when digging out a dead rabbit — would call a ' royal
howk.' These animals have not increased as was expected,
and the people now think they must have been on the
Fjelds all winter, and are now disappearing.

We found quantities of Eens-dyr Bloomst growing on
the sides of Suletind, and during the day specimens of
the Iceland Moss (Svin-moss) were pointed out by Ole.

NORWAY 75

About 7 p.m. we got home, after some eighteen miles'
walking, and had a very satisfactory dinner and so
to bed.

We heard this evening of another Buzzard's nest down
the valley, and Lars is to look after it to-morrow.

June 28.

Wednesday, the 28th of June — when we had showers
in the afternoon — was devoted to indoor work, egg-blow-
ing, letter-writing, carbolising young Fieldfares, and
giving Ole a lesson in skinning, at his own request, and
Alston worked at his sketch made yesterday.

Ole brought in this morning a nest of five Ring Ouzels'
eggs, taken below the house in the stump of a birch-tree
in a rock. He fired at one of the birds.

Two Wheatears' eggs from a nest brought in have
distinct but minute black dots at the larger end.

June 29.

Thursday, the 29th of June, was dull and warm. In
the morning a $ Black Duck — Common Scoter, or ' Skjer
Auch ' — was brought to us, which a man had shot last
night on Osevand, and which is doubtless the $ of the
first ? I shot and lost on the 16th, and of which we got
the nest and two eggs on the 19th.

To-day Ole and I went over to the birch-woods on the
opposite side of the river above Maristuen in vain search
for Skov Ryper. Though we passed through a stretch of
capital ground, dwarf willow interspersed with juniper
and marshy ground, no signs of birds were seen.

Lower down in the wood we came upon the rejecta
of Bear only a few days old, composed of vegetable
matter. Few small birds of any kind were seen.

In the evening Ole heard of yet another Rough-legged
Buzzard's nest near Thune, which we hope to visit next

76 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

week and get either eggs or young. He heard also that
no less than four Bears have been seen there lately.

Two travellers of the name of Salvesen passed Maristuen
this morning. Curiously enough, they live at Polmont,
and have shot often along the coast at Grangemouth,
and know it well. The Danish Consul at Leith is their
father.

June 30.

On Friday, the 30th of June — a warm day — we occupied
ourselves in packing our traps and three large boxes of
specimens, into one of which we also put a couple of
' Gede-ost,' or goat-milk cheeses, and a pile of Fladbrod.
These boxes Ole will manage to forward to Loerdalsoren,
to be shipped thence to Bergen.

Alston also made out a list of the birds of the Fille-
fjeld, with the local Norsk names, and put crosses
opposite those we wish Ole to collect for us another
season.

About eight o'clock in the evening in came old Lars
Eraker, looking rather tired and hot. A conversation
ensued between him and Ole, and we heard ' fire eig,' and
shortly after old Lars began fumbling and diving his
hands into every corner of his old knapsack. He pro-
duced three Eough-legged Buzzard's eggs, and then
seemed at a loss. At last he pulled out a whole sack,
and from its furthest and deepest depths produced the
fourth egg.

Alston noted that his actions reminded him for all the
world of the wizard of the north and his wonderful bag
of eggs.

These four eggs are very handsome, and were taken
yesterday from a nest in a rock on the Hemsedal Fjeld.
Lars said the rock was bad, and that the nest was * meget
stort.' The eggs were all fertile, being pretty hard set.

This, with the Bluethroat's nest, which we plan to get

NOR WA Y 77

to-morrow, will make rather a good wind-up to our work
at Maristuen, and we hope to have an equally good week
at Thune.

July 1.

On Saturday, the 1st of July — a warm day — after
breakfast we went up the old wood to the Blue-throated
Warbler's nest which we found on the 27th of June.
We got five eggs and the nest, and after waiting some
little time, Alston shot the ? bird. We could not get
the $ . The nest was of grass and moss, lined with fine
grass, and was placed under a single branch of juniper.
The eggs were fresh.

Soon after we finally left Maristuen with all our
belongings, which we were sorry to do.

At the head of Srnedalsvand we stopped the carioles
and went along the hillsides for Skov Eyper, but in vain,
never seeing a bird.

We stopped again at the head of Osevand, and had
another vain search for a Bluethroat's nest on the
promontory. We saw the ? bird go off again from the
same place as before, but our search, though careful, was
all in vain. Alston again found a Redshank's nest with
four eggs on this promontory.

Two boatmen came across the lake, and from them Ole
heard of another Fjeld Orn's nest on Gronnenoset, the
hill above the Soeter at Grienlien.

We then went on to Nystuen, and dined off a fine
Eeindeer which Andreas Nystuen had killed at Slettnings-
vand last night — verrie goode meate.

We then got ropes and started about 5 p.m. for
Gronnenoset, where we found the nest was in a very
bad place. The ? screamed for some time before leaving
the nest, and we think she must have young ones. Alston
had a long shot and knocked some feathers out of her, but
without doing her much harm. The $ did not show. As

;8 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

the nest is apparently in a very bad place, we resolved to
get up Peder Hougen to-morrow. Ole is to write him
to-night, and he will be able to take the nest about
one o'clock. We left the ropes, our guns, etc., in the Soeter
till to-morrow, that being the only day we can now spare
from Thune and the Broadbills (Tringa platyryncha) .

We got a White Wagtail's nest and two eggs from the
lad at Kirkesoaterne.

The first swells we have met — a dowager countess
and party — dined here and passed on to their salmon
river.

July 2.

On Sunday, the 2nd of July we had thunder at midday,
followed by a fine afternoon.

Peder did not come. He was to have met us at the
bridge at one o'clock. We concluded that he was not at
home and had not got Ole's letter. We then went up to
the rock, and Ole let me down above the nest with the
rope to within 40 feet of it. I shouted, and shot the hen
as she came off. Alston tried for the $ by lying behind
a rock after we went down, but it was of no use. We
could not see into the nest, and it is certainly the worst
rock we have seen yet. There was no help for it, so we
returned to Nystuen.

Alston found little hills made by Lemmings, quite
circular and nearly flat.

We dined off Reindeer — excellent venison — and after
dinner I went with Ole to the top of Sturganoset to see
the sun set, a pretty quick stiff pull of about 1,200 feet.
But we were half an hour too late to see all the glories of
the sunset. We saw the set without the sun, but that
was worth the walk too. We got down about ten minutes
past ten, the sun setting about nine o'clock.

At the top of Sturganoset we saw tracks of Fox.

We came down a deep cleft in the mountain, which

NOR WA Y 79

reminded me of the Geo opposite the Stack in Handa,
Suther] andshire. The height of Sturganoset above sea-
level is 4,400 feet.

We heard of a nest of real Eagles (probably white-
tailed) in Loerdal, about two or three miles below
Blaaflaten. The young are already flown, but we may
have a chance of eggs another year.

July 3.

Monday, the 3rd of July, was fine, warm, and breezy.
This morning our plans were somewhat disarranged.
We first heard that Peder had come, and afterwards that
there was no man to go with him to take the Bough-
legged Buzzard's nest at Gronnenoset. I was then pre-
paring after a hurried breakfast to start with him, leaving
Alston and Ole to go on to Thune, when at last all was
arranged by Andreas Nystuen, who promised to let a man
go to-morrow. We paid Peder one dollar in advance,
and the man half a dollar, and about eight o'clock we said
' farvel ' and started for Thune.

We had scarcely any remembrance of the country.
What, on the 17th of May was one almost unbroken field
of snow, seven, eight, and ten feet deep, was to-day a
well-wooded valley, the birch-trees swaying in a gentle
breeze, and the river rushing where before we knew not
that a river existed. In fact, the scenery was as new to
us as if we had never seen the place before. Our drive
after Skogstad along the Lille Miosen was very fine.
Scenery that we scarcely noticed when, cold and shivering,
we drove up the road, was now seen and appreciated.
The lake, whose waves broke angrily on the shore on
the former occasion, and froze on the stones as they fell,
now shone in the warm sun, and a few hungry Trout
were rising greedily at the fly.

We saw, too, to-day, near Skogstad, the first Swallow

8o TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

we have seen in Norway, and flying against and under a
tremendous precipice near the head of the Lille Miosen,
a grand Black Eagle. There was no doubt about the
Eagle this time, as it was hunting backwards and forwards
over the sloping birch-wood under a stupendous cliff to
the south-west of the lake.

We also saw a Yellow (grey-headed) Wagtail.

We arrived at Thune about 1 p.m., and put up at the
Station (Neils Thames'). We had a bite, after which I
skinned the Kough-legged Buzzard, while Alston took a
sleep, not having had much the previous night, owing to
noisy travellers, etc. Ole arranged about a horse and boy
(at 8 sk. a day !), and in the evening we packed, cut
baccy, etc.

To-morrow we are to start for the Soeters, fourteen miles
over the hills, intending to remain some days, and work
the marshes for Broad-billed Sandpipers, etc.

July 4.

On Tuesday, the 4th of July, there had been heavy
rain all night and in the forenoon, with distant thunder,
so we did not think of starting, as there are two rivers
which must be forded en route, and which will be too
much swollen.

The afternoon was fine, and Alston sketched, while I,
with Ole, tried fishing at the mouth of a river about a
mile west of the station. I caught one Trout about 1J lb.,
and Ole two, each about f lb. These Trout are in
splendid condition, hard, curdy, red as any salmon, and
infinitely better fish to eat than Salmon, to my taste.

We saw Swallows, and Swifts, and young White Wag-
tails flying. A pair of Magpies have their nest at the end
of the barn under the eaves at the Station-house, and one
pair of Swifts under the flooring.

Our provisions for our Soeter-life consist of bread,

NOR WA Y

Si

Liebig, portable soup, some of Andreas Nystuen's Rein-
deer, a bit of ham, coffee, and Brandtivin (Throndheims'
Aquavite), tobacco, etc. ; also as relishes, arsenical soap,
Worcester sauce, and carbolic acid ! Medicines : Seidlitz
powders, saltpetre (in the shape of gunpowder), and blue
pills (in the shape of dust and large shot) !

Alston made a full list, as follows, of the Articles de
necessite et de luxe which we are taking up to the Soeters.
It looks lengthy, but Ole tells us that the two panniers
on the pony's back would hold twice the quantity.

Eeindeer venison.

Potatoes.

Bread.

Pepper and salt.

Eggs.

Kettle and frying-pan.

Knives and forks, etc.

Plates.

Towels.

Liebig (2 pots).

Portable soup.

Preserved vegetables.

Ham.

Coffee.

Biscuits.

Aquavite (2 bottles).

Worcester sauce.

Candles.

Changes of clothes.

Changes of underclothes.

Boots, slippers, stockings.

Brush, sponges, etc.

Tobacco, lights, spare pipes.

Journals, pens and ink.

Skinning and blowing instru-
ments.

Arsen. soap and carb. acid.

Tow and cotton.

Plaids and waterproofs.

Big cloak.

No fear of starvation, anyway !
We went to bed early, so as to have an early start

to-morrow.

VOL. i. 7

Keating's powder.
' Medicine bag.'
Guns and ammunition.
Fishing-rod and tackle.
Flasks, etc., etc.
Telescopes.
Box for eggs.

Collecting boxes.
Small sketch-book.

82 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

July 5.

On Wednesday, the 5th of July — a fine day, very warm
in the forenoon — our Soeter life began. We started about
a quarter or half -past seven with Ole Lysne, Trond Thune
(a small boy), and the horse, which was equipped with a
pack-saddle and a pair of huge panniers, over which our
luggage was piled in a most imposing form. Our desti-
nation was the Soeter belonging to Neils Thune (M.P., as
we call him ; member of the Storthing) , about fourteen
miles across the fields and valleys.

After the first three miles through an extensive birch-
wood, in which four Bears are said to be lurking, we
arrived at a Soeter prettily situated at the side of a con-
siderable-sized lake — Helin — in Hellestrand. Upon this
lake we saw two or three Scoters, and once, two males
swimming together.

We now ascended, accompanied by a herd of cows and
calves, which were being taken up to the Sceters, over a
low field, then down on the other side to another Soeter in
Smaadal. This was about ten miles. Here we saw a
Field Orn and lots of Golden Plover, of which Ole shot
one for the pot. Here also we lunched on biscuits and
the remains of a bottle of claret and water, rested the
horse, and then went on.

We passed several Soetersmost of which, however, were
not yet inhabited. At one — an inhabited one — we saw a
flock of goats, two of which had very fine horns. The
hills were very fine in form, one with a remarkable
pinnacle of rock, and we noted that the birch- wood was
gradually increasing.

We saw a Bluethroat amongst the willow and dwarf
birch and juniper, which sort of vegetation extends all
along our route to-day after we left the birch-woods,
except just on the top of the Fjeld. Golden Plover are
decidedly more plentiful here than on the Fillefjeld.

NOR WA Y 83

Many pretty little flowers grow on the Fjeld now, some
of which I propose to gather one of these days when I
have the blot-book with me.

At last we turned down through the birch-wood, and
reached this Soeter — the Soeter Hesteorne — about two
o'clock. It is prettily situated near the river, with the
big marsh at the head of the Lake just below.

The girls in charge were not at home, but we soon
made ourselves comfortable, and converted the half of the
house into very cosy-looking quarters— driving in nails
and hanging up our things.

Then Ole proved himself an excellent cook, and we
had a grand dinner of fried venison, potatoes, bread, etc.,
with a huge wooden bowl of milk, to which we helped
ourselves from the milk-house. After dinner the ladies
of the house returned and seemed glad to see us — though
one would think it would be rather a bore to be thus
turned out of house and home.

We then went out, Alston to try for a Bluethroat, and
Ole and I and Trond, our boy, to try for a Trout or two,
but none of us were successful.

Alston saw lots of Bramblings, Fieldfares, and Red-
wings in the woods, but could see no Bluethroats, and
came to suspect that they do not come down into the
valley.

As Ole and I walked along through the willow scrub,
Ole said, ' What bird was that ? ' but I did not see it, as
it pitched past as he spoke. We hunted high and low in
vain, but we could not put it up. He said it was white
underneath, with some red about the neck and shoulders,
and was a good deal smaller than a Bed shank (?).

Soon after, Trond, a sharp-eyed, active little fellow,
son of Neils Thune, held up his hands and showed us an
egg lying on the bare ground. It was rather bleached
with the sun, and quite rotten. It could be nothing else

84 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

but the egg of the Great Snipe — a dropped egg, we thought
at the time. But on trying to blow it afterwards we
found it had been sat upon some days. Our deductions
from this circumstance were not pleasant. The river was
higher than Trond ever remembered to have seen it before,
and had evidently been all over the island. Two rivers
join here, the larger one from Smaadal, the valley we
came down to-day, and the other the Hydals Elv, which
is the best fishing stream. We fear that the birds' nests
have been destroyed as at Nystuen, and that the great
marsh will be in a similar condition. We hope, however,
to try it to-morrow.

July 6.

Thursday, the 6th of July, was a day of heavy showers,
but we had previously had a night's experience.

How jolly we were last night, and how we scoffed at
the idea of the discomforts of Soeter life, and how we
tumbled into the deal-floored beds on the top of cosy
sheep- and calf-skins and hay, Ole and Trond in the one
bed, Alston and I in the other. But 0 ye gods ! now
came the discomforts of Soeter life. If one flea bit me, a
hundred scampered and played leap-frog all over my
body, and as many more upon Alston and Ole. Trond
was either flea-proof or not good to eat, as he slept from
ten till eight or nine next morning.

As for me, first I snoozed, then awoke and saw Ole
stooping over his bed and plentifully besprinkling it with
Keating, which, though I was only newly awakened, put
me off in convulsions. Smoked a pipe, had a dram, and
did likewise as regarded the Keating, which ' I guess '
made the little scoundrels ' make a mistake that journey.'
The two Soeter girls, who had come up but four days ago,
slept at an adjoining Soeter.

In the morning, at 7 a.m., we tubbed in the burn,
and I shot a male Budytes flava (var. melanocephala) .

NORWAY 85

Alston afterwards shot the ? . The young are still flying,
and we hope to secure them at our leisure.

We had an excellent breakfast of Reindeer liver and
eggs, after which we went to the big marsh, but it did
not fulfil our expectations. Moreover, as we had sus-
pected, it had a very short time ago been entirely under
water, and not a single bird of any description was seen
in it. It is covered with a thick growth of scrub or
dwarf-willow and ikke godt for waders.

We now rowed down the river and landed near a Soeter,
where we heard of Bjerg-ulf from an old squatter, who
rowed us across the lake — a nameless one — and we
searched about three-quarters of a mile of low round
rocks in vain. Then to another rock on the opposite
side again, while Ole rowed the boat back — a hard pull.
Here we saw plenty of signs of the birds, but no birds
or nest, though the old man found the nest here twice
before, and this year saw two eggs, which he left, but
which had been removed by the birds when he returned.
He will have yet another search for the nest for us. The
bird is heard often on the south side of the river and
lake.

This man, Ole says, will be a useful fellow. He took
down his name and address in his pocket-book along with
a list of the birds he may get next year. His name is
Lars Larsen, of Laargaard, and is a wealthy old rascal,
who has coolly taken possession of a piece of land, and
having kept it for so many years, cannot now be turned
out by the rightful owner. It seems to me that men in
Norway blessed with the name of Lars are often rascals,
and as often the best bird-nesters. Ole will make use of
him next year.

Alston shot another Budytes melanocephala, a fine $ .
These birds are quite common here. The ? has the cap
quite grey without any appearance of black. We saw

86 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

and heard numbers throughout the day, and in some
cases the old birds were accompanied by the young flying,
as with those of this morning.

From Lars Larsen we got an egg of the Black Scoter,
which was the last of a nest of nine, which he had found
near Soeter Hesteorne some time ago — one month — the
egg was quite fresh. He had eaten the other eight, the
old rascal.

To-day was a day of disappointments and small mis-
fortunes. I lost my ramrod and Alston his ' tolle knive,'
both of which articles must have slipped out of their
cases. Also in the morning we found that the ramrod of
the little gun must have likewise dropped en route yester-
day. Luckily the ramrod of the big gun can be replaced
by the washing-rod, which unscrews and goes into the bag.

When searching for the Bjerg-ulf we saw tracks and
excreta of Bear in profusion. Lemmings were here last
autumn in small numbers, which agrees with there being
so few on the Fillefjeld this year. Adders are said to
be common here, and Frogs are so.

After dinner we skinned the three Wagtails, and then
about 10.30 or 11 p.m., we went up to the last mentioned
Bjerg-ulf rock to watch for the chance of a shot at the
birds. But they came not, and we got back about twelve.

We went to bed about 1 a.m., having first vanquished
the fleas completely by means of Keating.

July 7.

Friday, the 7th of July, was wet until twelve o'clock,
after which we went in search of Wagtails, Bluethroats,
etc. We found two young Budytes melanocepliala sitting
on the grass, which we caught and carbolised. We also
shot two young White Wagtails; but one of them was
badly spoilt. We skinned a Bluethroat which Ole shot
last night.

NOR WA Y 87

At about 2 p.m. we had a most luxurious dinner of
Ole's cooking — soup with tinned vegetables in it, Teal and
Golden Plover done to a turn, and pancake of Scoter's eggs.

After dinner we started to go to a large lake about
three miles down the valley, but at Lars Larsen's house
we heard that there were no boats upon this end of it,
the Soeter people having left for a time. We sent Trond
down to inquire of those who remained when they ex-
pected them back.

Meanwhile Ole went after Bluethroats, and Alston arid
I with the stick-gun after Wagtails. We fired at least a
dozen shots, but could not kill, the trigger being very stiff.
We saw lots of Whinchats and some Redpolls.

We came in at last, and Ole soon after. He had been
more successful, and produced a fine $ Bluethroat and —
hurrah ! — a Great Snipe. The latter had risen from a
dry place in an open part of the birch-wood, but he could
find no nest. In the evening Ole showed us the place,
and we hunted high and low through a whole series of
likely-looking marshes which lie among the birch- woods . It
was getting late, and we were returning to the house, when
Trond flushed a bird. From his description it was in all
probability a Great Snipe. It was too dark for us to see
it as it flew away low along the ground. Again in vain
we searched, but as it is close to the house we soon
determined on leaving the spot for the present.

Old Lars Larsen says there are lots of Lynxes and
Gluttons about here. Lemmings are here called ' Lom-
hund ' (i.e., pocket-dog), which is probably the original
form of the word.

Trond came back and reported that there is an old
boat, though not a very good one, at the lake. Also that
an old woman knew of a nest of some sort of duck.

To-night Keating was — as before — perfectly effective,
but through the day the mosquitoes, which have appeared

88 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

lately, were very bad, at least to me. They stabbed my
legs right through my thick stockings, and each bite
swells up, sometimes as big as a nut. My legs are posi-
tively painful with these hard red swellings, which last
for two or three days. The swelling is visible through
the stockings.*

July 8.

Saturday, the 8th of July, was one of heavy rain. We
were up at six o'clock and had a most uncomfortable wash
in the burn. Washing in a waterproof sounds somewhat
strange, but the rain and wind were miserably cold.

We skinned birds — the Great Snipe and Bluethroat —
and when the weather cleared a little we started for the
lake — Kvoevlin Vand — but the rain came on again and it
poured all day and night.

We drove a hard bargain with an old girl at a Soeter
for a nest of six Teal eggs. She wanted three skillings
apiece for them, but we would only give her two. She
was as like an old Lapp — Ole said — as she could stare.

We found the boat was of no use. We saw lots of
Ducks flying about the islands, and one bird, which we
could not make out through the mist and rain, had a nest
on a point on the big island. We believed it to be a
Goose. We saw it stand up first, and then gradually
settle down till its head disappeared. Nothing for it but
to return again when the people are here with the boats.
They come to-night and return on Monday.

We shot two more Black-headed Wagtails, and Ole
fished for a time in the river. He caught one nice Trout
of f Ibs., rising several more.

We got back to the Soeter, and changed to the skin,
which was done under difficulties not experienced at

* This thorough inoculation served me well in after-years. I
scarcely ever got swellings again from their bites (H.B., 1902).

NOR WA Y 89

home, the female portion of the population of the Soeters
being very simple-minded.

The rain continued pelting down, and — horror ! — we
found the roof began to leak. Drip ! drip ! Our bed
was quite dry when we went to sleep, about ten, but at
twelve Alston had to turn out, when it began to splish-
splash ! on our faces. He retired below the table, where
he made a shake-down with a little hay and an old rug
on the earthen floor, and slept quite comfortably. Ole
slept on a bench with Alston's big cloak under him. I
tried a bench bare of bedding, and then got into the bed
again with my head turned the other way. Then the
fleas scampered over me for half an hour or so, and I got
considerably bitten, but I dropped off to sleep at last.
Trond slept through rain and fleas enveloped in his
sheep-skin, and never winked till morning.

July 9.

Sunday, the 9th of July, was fine, but with a heavy
shower in the afternoon.

We were up at seven, and sent Trond and the horse to
Thune for supplies.

We went down to the large lake — Kvoevlin Vand — got
a boat and a man and two boys, and went out to the
islands. We went first to the point of the large island —
Sedsoe — at the head of the lake where we had seen the
birds yesterday. We put them both up, and found our
goose to be a Scoter. I knocked one of them over, and
wounded the other, Alston also putting one barrel into
it. But the first dived and was lost, and the other went
far down the lake. We then found the nest, with eight
eggs, which were quite fresh.

Then we landed at a point on the other side. The
boys ivould talk, and the consequence was that another
Duck got off its nest and out on to the lake before we

90 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

twigged it. I killed it with the first barrel — a ? Long-
tailed Duck. We searched in vain for the nest. Ole
saw the Drake fly off near where I shot the female.

We went about three miles further down the lake,
and there saw three or four pairs of Scoters. I killed
three birds — one pair right and left — and Ole and
Alston another. The Scoters were flying as many as
four together, but did not appear to be breeding, nor
could we find any nests, having doubtless been fore-
stalled by the people from the surrounding Soaters, who
gather the eggs for eating. A pair of Divers were also
upon the lake, Also on a large island, on a gravelly
point, I killed a Eing Dotterel, but we searched in vain
for the nest.

The man and two boys seemed well pleased with the
payment we gave them — two and a half marks altogether.
The boys got half a mark each, and were very anxious to
get it changed. They are to look for more nests.

July 10.

Monday, the 10th of July, was a wet, windy, nasty day
of rain, and as we had plenty of birds to skin, we made a
day of it in the house. We skinned the three Scoters, all
females, the ? Long-tailed Duck, and one Black-headed
Wagtail, and we blew the Scoter's eggs, but found we
could not make omelette or pancake of them. Ole
skinned one of the Scoters, and did it very well indeed,
though it was a bloody specimen.

Trond returned from Thune, bringing coffee, eggs,
bread, etc., and letters. He brought word that there are
no eggs or birds from Nystuen, but a letter to Ole
from his cousin at Maristuen saying that old Lars
Eraker had two more nests, one of four eggs, and one of
four young birds, of Kough-legged Buzzards. These he
will bring to Thune any day, so Ole has written, as he

NORWAY 91

will have a chance of sending a letter by a girl to-morrow.
This will be not a bad wind-up for the Fillefjeld. We
shall get them by twelve o'clock noon on Saturday.

July 11.

Tuesday, the llth of July, was a fine warm day,
followed by rain at night. There had been a keen frost
through the night, followed by a bright beautiful morning
with not a cloud in the sky. We found the burn very
cold for our tub.

About five o'clock we got up, and after breakfast we
started about seven to row down the Kvoevlin Vand to
some islands further down than we had yet been. While
the man was getting ready, Alston and I went out to the
large island, where we found the Scoter's nest — Gedeoe —
and shot a pair of Bluethroats, one each, the $ falling
to Alston and the ? to me.

When about a mile down, the man (another Ole) took
us to a place where he had seen a Marten (Morkat) the
day before, in a large heap of debris at the foot of a low
cliff in the thick birch- wood. The beast had come out
and barked at him, and he had pitched stones at it.

But, of course, though we waited a considerable time,
it was in vain. There were plenty of droppings to be
seen on the stones round about, and there is little doubt
it had a litter of young somewhere among the stones.

Then we went on to the furthest islands, about seven
miles from the head of the loch, where I shot a ? Wild
Duck, and Alston a Teal. We saw for the first time a
Velvet Scoter — a fine $ — but we found no new nests. The
Soeter people have made a clean sweep of them. One
woman, we were told, had found ten nests, all with
fresh eggs. We were just a week or so too late in
coming here.

Ole and I tried fishing on our return in the river, but it

92 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

was 'ikke gaae ' (i.e., in dog-Norsk, 'no go.') Mean-
while Aston saw a $ Blackbird near Old Lars' place.

We made up our mind to return soon to Thune,
probably on Thursday, and try for some fishing, as the
egg-collecting season is evidently about over here now.

I give here a list of rocks containing nests of
Kough-legged Buzzards in the Fillefjeld and other
situations : —

1 * Smedalsbjerg Fillefjeld, 2

2 * Yaldersdalen „ 3

3 * Lille Frostdalen „ 2

4 Store Frostdalen ,,

5 Gronnenoset ,,

6 Foellestol gielen ,,

7 * Sore Sul „ 2

8 Sorteberg ,,

9 Oddeberg

10 * Droughellernoset Hemsedalfjeld, 4.

11 Skakadalen Vang

12 Larsgaard Grunke

13 Eggestolnoset Hemsedalfjeld

14 Slettningsnoset Fillefjeld

Kong Orn.

1 Blaae Kampen Grunke

2 Ehrisaasen Lordal

Bjerg Uls.

1 Honingsberget Fillefjeld

2 Eggestolnoset Hemsedalfjeld

3 Brusestolnoset ,,

4 Larsgaard Grunke

Blaae-Hog.

1 Eggestolnoset Hemsedalfjeld
Eggs of Eough-legged Buzzard we have procured from
those stations we have marked with an asterisk (*)

NOR WA Y 93

through Ole Lysne and Lars Eraker, with, in some
cases, the assistance of Peder Hougen as cragsman.
Those taken in Smedalsbjerg, Lille Frostdal, and
Valdersdal we ourselves saw taken out. Birds were
shot from the two latter and from Gronnenoset by
myself, and from Smedalsbjerg by Lars Eraker.

July 12.

On Wednesday, the 12th of July, it rained all day.
We began to skin birds, etc., but soon after breakfast
the roof began to leak in the most diabolical manner,
much worse than on the night of the 8th, and the
Sceter was fast becoming uninhabitable, so we resolved
to push on through the wet to Thune, instead of waiting
till to-morrow. We skinned one Bluethroat, then packed
up as quickly as possible. Ole cooked some dinner, and
at half-past two we took leave of our Sceter-life in the
midst of heavy rain.

The two girls were overwhelmed with the three dollars
Ole gave them for us for the milk, cream, and cheese and
tip to themselves. Thus three people lived at a Sceter for
13s. 6d. (English). Another dollar and a half or so will
probably cover the cost of the provisions brought and
sent from Thune.

We walked over to Thune at a good pace, and were
accompanied by another party — an old man and his
two sons and a pony with birch-bark. We concluded
through Ole a bargain with the elder son to drive us
all the way to Gjovik at the regular posting charges.
This will save us an infinity of trouble and probably
delay. He will supply both carioles with horses.

The same lad knows a Scoter's nest, and will take the
eggs on his return and send them to Ole at Maristuen.
From him in the evening we purchased a good skin of
Vulpes lag opus $ in winter fur for one and a half dollars,

94 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

which is not dear. A very different price from the six
dollars we were asked at Nystuen.

After a wet walk of between fourteen and fifteen
miles, fording two burns, one of them twice, and with
only one rest by the way of two or three minutes, we
arrived at Thune at half-past seven, thus doing the
whole distance in five hours, which we flattered ourselves
was pretty fair going.

On the hill, coming over, we heard a peculiar plaintive
note from some bird. It may only have been a Golden
Plover, but the note was of three syllables ' tu- whi-ew.'*
The nature of the ground was suggestive to me of
Dotterel.

Ole has agreed to go with us as far as Keien, and will
there see Dr. Printz with us. We shall try and get some
particulars and information from him about Broadbilled
Sandpipers, etc., in the hope that next year we may perhaps
get a good haul — a hope which was never accomplished.

We were not very tired when we arrived in the evening,
but we were quite ready for bed and the unwonted
luxuries of night-shirts and sheets, and I rather ' reckon '
we slept well this night.

July 13.

Thursday, the 13th of July, was a day of showers. We
slept till near 9 a.m., and then did a tolerable break-
fast, Alston managing four eggs, besides, ham, cheese,
beer, etc. ! He skinned the remaining Bluethroat and
the young Duck, worked on his sketches, etc.

After dinner, about half-past three, Ole and I went
fishing. We tried only the two pools below the
bridge and the mouth of the river. I killed four

* Accent on the * i ' in whi-ew = whi-ew. See remarks on the
notes of Golden and Grey Plover, under Part III. of Vol. II. There
is little doubt the above was just a Golden Plover's note.

NORWAY 95

nice Trout, two of them about three-quarters of a
pound, or between that and a pound, and two about
half a pound each. They gave capital sport, especially
one of the smaller ones, which I hooked in the bridge
pool and which kept boring up the stream under the
bridge. Ole had one of his about a pound and a half.
The wind was very strong and blowing across the stream
at the mouth of the river, the sky dark and thundery, but
the water much warmer. We were told that fishing
in the lake is now prohibited by the peasants, as in-
terfering with the netting ; but next day we learnt that
this was all nonsense.

July 14.

Friday, the 14th of July, was a dull, rainy-looking day.
The river was low. In the morning I caught a couple of
small Trout, and in the evening I caught one about
a pound and Ole two, each 2 Jibs, or thereabouts.

We heard to-day that the road is now crammed with
' travelling critters ' — one hundred and fifty English land-
ing at Christiania from one steamer — so that it is just as
well that we had made arrangements for horses all the
way from here to Gjovik.

I bought two carved spoons with very pretty patterns.
Silver articles — a snuff-box and two rings — were offered
us for eleven dollars, but we declined, though Ole says the
rings are now very rare and were cheap.

An old monument at the church gate was erected by
King Hacon in the year A.D. 980, in memory of the
death of Geislur, who went with the king to fight
at Throndheim and was killed, having been mistaken for
the king himself. The stone is a large sheet of slate
with curious carving near the bottom. The church here
(parish church of Yang) occupies the place of the ancient
one sold to the King of Prussia, which is said by Murray
to have stood near Loerdalsoren |

96 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

July 15.

Saturday, the 15th of July, a rainy day, was mainly
devoted to packing, settling up with Ole, etc. I caught a
few Trout. We have no word of Lars and his eggs.

July 16.

Sunday, the 16th of July, a fine day, we started
from Thune about 9.15 a.m., with Iver Ellingbo and Ole,
the latter accompanying us as far as Reien. At twelve
o'clock we had lunch at Ste, which rather interfered with
the gorgeous feed we got later on at Dr. Printz's.

We reached Dr. Printz's house at two o'clock in time
for dinner ('middags-mal '), — which was eating with a
vengeance. We succeeded, however, in packing away
a good deal, which we had likewise done at Ste.

Dr. Printz was very kind to us, and had got us a
grand haul of eggs, and would accept nothing for them
but what they had cost him, viz., Sp. 2.60, as he had
given up collecting for himself. We packed them up
hurriedly, but the following list will give a partial
idea of what they are :—

Pied Flycatcher

8 Green Woodpecker, 1870

5 Greyhead G. Woodpecker, 1870

1 Goshawk, 1870

Velvet Scoter, 1870 and 1871
Goosanders and down
4 Woodcocks, 1870

2 Great Snipe

2 Common Snipe (very large)
2 Black-throated Diver

This was not a bad lot. The Ducks, the Great Snipe,
Goosanders, etc., were from Syndenvand, which must
be a good place. It was there that he and Godman

NORWAY 97

took two nests (three and two eggs) of Broad-billed Sand-
piper in 1861, but he has never met with this species
since. Crane has occurred once near Slidre, but breeds
inland, and he has taken them ' mange gange.' The
Long-tailed Duck's eggs he has only taken once, and
he seemed much interested in our having shot a ? .
The Snowy Owl bred last year on Valdersfelde, and
the Hawk Owl has been shot — and probably bred — in
Ostre Slidre. Altogether we got a good deal of in-
formation, including lists of birds of Fillefjeld and
Valdersfjeld.

By the way, Alston saw a Great Black Woodpecker
just before arriving at Dr. Printz's.

At Keien we bade 'farvel' to Ole, and then posted
on to Fagernaes, where we stopped for the night, and
which we liked no better than on the last occasion.

Four Englishmen are fishing at Fagernaes, but the
Trout are all smaller than Miosen Trout. One of them
recommends Tomlevold or Skoien.

July 17.

Monday, the 17th of July, a very warm but cloudy day,
we were up at six and had a plunge in the lake — pretty
cold. We were to have started at seven and did get
away at eight.

We don't like Fagernaes much. Too much pretension,
and the son of the landlord wears a * chimney-pot ' on
his head and a perpetual smirk on his countenance sug-
gestive of sour cream. He knows about two more words
of English besides what he knew when we last saw him,
and we had to fall back upon Norsk (he also).

At Gravedalen we had an excellent Al lunch of cold
veal, bread, butter and ' Gede-ost,' and two ' flasker 61,'
all for 1 mark 20 sk. Of this the beer cost 1 mark, so
that we had as much as we could eat for 5d. each.

VOL. i. 8

98 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Coining down the long hill to Toinlevold we met with
our first regular accident. Alston's horse in trotting
slowly down a very gentle incline, suddenly fell heavily,
breaking both shafts and grazing one of its knees. The
horse fell suddenly over on its side, its feet flying out
sideways. Of course one shaft was completely broken,
snapping off close to the splinter bar. The other was
twisted up and cracked.

The horse was not much hurt, the right knee being
slightly cut, and a piece of skin rubbed off the right
shoulder, and another above the right eye. Its whole
side was covered with dust.

The whole thing occurred in a most unaccountable
way. The horse did not roll over the shaft, but fell
clean over. It seemed hardly a stumble, but a heavy
lurching fall on its side and shoulder. The place where
it happened was a gentle incline, almost level, and we
were going quite slowly at the time. It is a good
thing this did not occur near the beginning of our
tour.

However, Iver, our lad, soon got the one shaft spliced
with cord and the other ' fished ' with a rail from the
fence secured with cord and wedged, and we were able
to go on.

Below Tomlevold we saw a Lesser Whitethroat in
the fence ; it was tame, and we saw it well.

We received a hearty welcome at Skoien, which we
reached about five o'clock.

We were now able to hold a considerable conversation
in Norsk with the old gentleman, which we were unable
to do before — and we were highly complimented by him
on our great knowledge of the Norsk tongue. Hem !

At ' aftensmal ' we had salad, and the first strawberries
we have seen in Norway — and delicious they were. I
had them all to myself, as Alston cannot eat fruit. ' Oh !

NOR WAY 99

bully for I ! ' He wired in, however, to salad and ' gede
ost ' and ' fladbrod.'

Mosquitoes are here, too. I have huge lumps all over
my arms and forehead from their venomous bites. Oh !
the ' slarve ! ' how I hate 'em.

We incidentally noted in passing that Gravdalen would
be excellent quarters for Hjerper and Capercaillie shooting.

July 18.

Tuesday, the 18th of July — a fine windy day — we got
Alston's cariole neatly mended by a smith.

I went with a guide to try fishing about four miles
over the hill south of Skoien, but soon returned, as the
Trout were small, black burn Trout. The walk, or
scramble, amongst the thick fir-wood and steep banks
of the burn was very hot work.

I saw a Great Black Woodpecker for an instant as
it flew away into the forest. The centre of its back had
a bronze-brown appearance.

I came to a fine waterfall — the Hog Foss — about
four English miles from Skoien ; a large body of water
shooting outwards from a shelving rock, and descending
at one bound at least 200 feet — I think more — certainly
as fine a fall as we have seen in Norway. The water-
fall is well worthy of the attention of tourists, though
not mentioned in the guide-book.

I tried the river at Skoien, which is said to contain
large trout, but I only caught a few small ones in it.
A very strong wind was blowing, and great quantities of
timber logs were floating down the stream.

On returning to the station I found that Alston had
not been idle. He had purchased for half a dollar a
fine, healthy, tame young Bjerg-ulf (Eagle Owl) from
a lad named Andreas Larsen Mosvand, son of Lars Mos-
vand. It was taken at Mosveen, and about three-quarters

too TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

of a Norsk mile from here. We made a note to write
to Ole Lysne to communicate with this lad concern-
ing eggs next year. I also saw a Dipper on the
Hog Elv.

We left Skoien with regret about seven o'clock* for
Mostad or Mustad. ' Lars ' (as we have named the Bjerg-
ulf) was put in a roomy box lashed to the top of Alston's
portmanteau. He did not seem, however, to enjoy cariol-
ing — indeed, he was anything but ' meget bequemt' (very
comfortable). We are to feed him on raw meat three or
four times a day.

Iver, our boy, was 'ikke bequemt ogsaa,' as he had to
sit perched on high, on top of the box of skins etc.,
which was lashed on top of my portmanteau.

We arrived at Mustad about half-past nine o'clock.

July 19.

Wednesday, the 19th of July — a very hot day — we left
Mustad about seven o'clock, and arrived at Gjovik about
8.30. I occupied the time to the starting of the steamer
at 10.30 by writing up my journal.

On board the steamer on the Miosen, a couple of
Englishmen (one of them a Lord), were returning from
their Salmon river, north of Throndheim, dissatisfied with
their sport, saying it was such a bad season. Yet they
had killed 140 Salmon in one month. They came on
to Christiania in our railway carriage. They did not
admire the scenery at all, and said it was not worth
the trouble and discomfort of the travelling. We
wondered how his lordship would like living in a Soeter !

We also came across on the steamer an American —
a Southerner — a /rum old chap,' who had been all over
the world, and is going to the North Cape before return-
ing via China and Japan. He has been all through

* Somebody's watch gone mad.

NORWAY 101

Russia and from Finmark to the Caucasus, in Asia Minor
and Palestine, and once started to go to Timbuctoo, but
had to turn back as the countr J tv&£> ^daageronk » ', He
has now been travelling about E'jjope for six and a half
years. He is an oldish man, ^ve?$ ^eiitfe^aiilj* &$&
pleasant, and we were all very jolly together. The old
Yank paid Alston the compliment of saying that he
was liker ' one of our Western boys ' than any one he
had ever seen in Europe, and that if he went to Texas
he might go * all round ' without being taken for a
'Britisher.' Whereat Alston felt muchly flattered!

' Hen* Bjerg-ulf ' is quite well and much quieter now.
He feeds greedily on raw meat. He can scarcely be
(like many pets) killed by 'over-kindness' and good
living, his capacity for gulping down meat being
considerable.

On arriving in Christiania we went to the hospital
and had warm baths, after which Bennett called, and
we turned into bed about 10 p.m.

July 20.

Thursday, the 20fch of July, we settled everything with
Bennett to our mutual satisfaction. It cost us just
27sp. 40sk. each for carioles, provisions, etc. Subjoined
is a list of what wre got from him : —

2 Carioles-hire Sp. 30.0

2 Harnesses ,, ... ... ... 6.0

1 Greasepot ,, 0.20 "

1-4 Bottle-case,, 1.30

2 Whipholders „ 0.30

4 Straps No. 1 „ 0.96

3 „ No. 2 „ 0.48

2 Whips at 3 m 1.24

1 Rope 0.24

1 Cord 0.24

102 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

2 Phrase books 0.72

1 Steamer table 0.6

k;S;'Bottb^Bnpidy 2.0

2^ „ "Whiskey 1.24

,?£ : 1 ; :' B<i>x V J^cmfe [.? • • 1.0

1 Sam ' ;./ v' 2.75

2 Keindeer Tongues 0.72

Postage Stamps 24/12 2.48

1 Bottle Worcestershire Sauce ... 0.36

1 Mackintosh Bag 1.60

1 Sailcloth Guncase 1.0

2 Tolle Knives 0.96

Sp. 54.85
i

For the two of us about £12 5s. in English money.

We bought a few articles, got back our money lying in
Bennett's hands, called at the University, and found our
boxes from Bergen all safe, and bought various other
things in Christiania, and the evening we spent at the
Tea-Gardens, Theatre, and Cafe. We did not understand
the language in the Theatre, but could make out the
general meaning of the piece ; and the acting, by Danish
actors, seemed very good. In the Cafe there was singing,
and we could have our glass of beer, and smoke our pipes
in comfort, as it was raining heavily outside. The
Gardens themselves were consequently deserted.

July 21.

On Friday, the 21st of July, we made more purchases,
photographs, etc., and met friends who are starting up-
country to-morrow.

The first Bat was observed, at Klingenbjerg, near
Christiania,

NORWAY 103

July 22.

On Saturday, the 22nd of July, in the afternoon, we
went on board the Scotia, which left at 5 p.m. in fine
weather.

They fed us well on board, giving four substantial
meals a day, all included in the three guineas passage
money. We never sailed in a more comfortable, better-
found vessel, both as regards accommodation, food, and
people.

We got the Bjerg-ulf established in the smoking-room
in his box, where he received many visitors.

We made our voyage on Sunday and Monday in fine
weather, at an average speed of ten knots per hour ;
arrived at Granton about one o'clock on the morning of
Tuesday, the 25th of July ; landed with all our kit and
live stock about eight. We were very kindly treated by the
custom-house, who passed all our boxes of specimens
through without opening, on our affirming what they
contained.

July 25.

' St. Olaf,' as we have re-christened the Bjerg-ulf,
attracted much attention. A porter who took up our
things to the train said, ' I never saw but one as big
before, and that came in here on board a ship aboot twa
years syne.' ' Oh/ I said. ' Caught on board a Montrose
fishing-boat?' ' The verra same.' 'Well, I've got that
bird too in my possession,' I said.

I arrived at home at Dunipace in the afternoon, and
found all well.

So— ' Skoal til Gamle Norge.'

APPENDIX

LIST OF BIRDS OBSERVED.

IN the list which follows we include (a) all the species
observed by us on the Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld ; (b)
those observed by us in the valleys ; (c) notes by Dr.
Hans Christian Printz, Districts-laege of Reien, whose
notes in Norsk are added*; (d) notes of specimens sent
to us by Ole J. Lysne and collected for us by him both
after our departure in 1871, and also during the following
year, 1872 ; and (e) the Norsk local names, given on the
authority of Ole J. Lysne and others. The nomenclature
is brought up to date, and the arrangement is according
to Dresser's ' Manual of Palaearctic Birds,' published in
1902.

1. Missel Thrush. Turdus viscivorus, L.

Seen at Vossevangen.
2,- Song Thrush. Turdus musicus, L.

' Maaltrost.' 0. J. Lysne. Observed nesting at
Skoien and ? Maristuen. ' Five eggs taken 3rd
July, 1872, by 0. J. Lysne, ipse, in the wood
between Laarsgaard and Hesteorne. The nest was
built 8 feet from the ground in a fork of a birch-
tree.'

* The species marked with the asterisk are those which Dr. Printz
added to our list and he is sole authority for.

io6 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

3. Eedwing. Turdus iliacus, L.

1 Eodving,' ' Eodvinge ' (0. J. Lysne). Fillefjeld and
Valdersfjeld list.

'Five eggs taken 4th June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, close to Maristuen, Fillefjeld.'

'Four eggs taken 19th June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, in wood near Maristuen, Fillefjeld. One of
these eggs was rotten, and quite different from
the others ; it was abnormally large and the
colour lighter.'

4. Fieldfare. Turdus pilaris, L.

' Trost.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

5. Blackbird. Turdus merula, L.

Laarsgaard (E. E. Alston). Fillefjeld and Valders-
fjeld list.

6. Ring Ousel. Turdus torquatus, L.

' Sidsvort,' ' Eingtrost ' (0. J. Lysne). Fillefjeld and
Valdersfjeld list.

1 Four eggs taken 23rd May, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, from nest in birch-wood near Mo, Loerdal,
about two feet from the ground.'

' Four eggs taken 7th June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, at Bjorkum.'

' Eight eggs taken 13th June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse. The nest was in a cleft of a rock close to
Brusestolen, Fillefjeld.'

'Four eggs taken 19th June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, at Maristuen, Fillefjeld? '

' Two eggs found 29th June, 1872, in a juniper
bush in the hill above Hesteorne Sreter' (0. J.
Lysne).

7. Black-bellied Dipper. Cinclus melanogaster, Brehm.

'Strande Kong,' 'Fosse Karl,' ' Fossekal' (0. J.
Lysne). ' Tys-fugl,' or more correctly ' Tussefugl ; '
' tusse ' being a subterranean being, a kind of

NOR WA Y 107

gnome (E. Collett in letter, 5th Feb., 1872 ; see also
' Ornithologiske Bemaerkinger til Norges Fauna,'
in Night's ' Magazin for Naturviden Baberne,' 18
bund, p. 165).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld.

1 Five eggs taken 25th May, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse. The nest was in a rock close to a waterfall
about a mile below the station at Husum.'

8. Wheatear. Saxicola cenanthe (L.).

' Stendiep,' ' Stendulp ' (0. J. Lysne). Fillefjeld and
Valdersfjeld list.

' Six eggs taken 13th June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse. Nest below a stone close to the road at
Fillefjeld.'

9. Whinchat. Pratincola rubetra (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

10. Redstart. Euticilla phcenicurus (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

1 Eight eggs taken 23rd May, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, in a hole 20 feet from the ground in an old
birch-tree at Mo, Loerdal ' [these were attributed
to Muscicapa atricapilla by Lysne, but the de-
termination corrected by J. A. H. B.].

* Five eggs taken 6th June, 1872, by A. J. Lysne
near Bjorkum, Loerdal' [sent as M. atricapilla,
by Lysne, but the determination corrected by
J. A. H. B.]

11. Red-spotted Bluethroat. Cyanecula suecica (L.).

' Blaakjelken ' (0. J. Lysne). ' Blaastrube sangeren '
(Id.) Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

'Four eggs taken 25th June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse. The nest was below a juniper bush on a hill
near Helirn Sceter. The eggs were quite fresh.'

' Three eggs found 29th June, 1872, at Smaadalen
(not far from Hesteorne) by 0. J. L., ipse. One

io8 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

of the birds was seen. The nest was below a root
of an old birch- tree.'

' Four eggs taken 6th July, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, on the hill between Helim Lake and Helge-
syndin Lake. The eggs were very hard set. The
nest was below a birch bush close by the
road.'

12. Redbreast. Erithacus rubecula (L.).

Obtained by us in the valleys at Mustad.

13. Lesser Whitethroat. Sylvia curruca (L.).

Obtained by us in the valleys at Tomlevold.

14. Blackcap Warbler. Sylvia atricapilla (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

15. Goldcrest. Eegulus cristatus, Koch.

'Fuglekong' (0. J. Lysne). Obtained by us in the
valleys.

16. Willow Warbler. Phylloscopus trochilus (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

1 Five eggs found 13th June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, at Fillefjeld. The nest was in the grass in a
bog.' [Sent as Emberiza schoeniclus, and determina-
tion corrected by J. A. H. B.]

' Two eggs taken in a nest — the other being
hatched— by 0. J. L., ipse, 27th June, 1872. The
nest was on the ground, and much like the nest of
Eegulus cristatus.'

' Seven eggs, hard-set, taken 1st July, 1872, by
a boy, who told Lysne that the nest was built near
the water in a low willow bush. Locality not
stated. The day after, Lysne went with the boy
in order to see the nest, but he could not find it
again.'

' Three eggs were taken 1st July, 1872, by the
same boy from a nest built on the ground ' (0. J.
Lysne).

NORWAY 109

' Six eggs were taken by a Sceter girl at the
other side of Hesteorne, 1st July, 1872 ' (0. J.
Lysne) .

17. Hedge Sparrow. Accentor modular is (L.).

'lernspurv' (0. T. Lysne), ' Blaairisk' (Id.). Ob-
served by us in the valleys.

' Four eggs taken 24th May, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, locality not stated. The nest was first found
by a boy on the 17th, who destroyed three eggs.
It was built in a thick juniper bush about a couple
of feet from the ground.'

18. Long-tailed Tit. Acredula caudata (L.).

Observed by us in the valleys.

19. Great Tit. Parus major, L.

' Tete.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

'Eleven eggs taken by a boy, 24th May, 1872,
locality not stated. The nest was in a hollow in
a birch-tree, and was built of fine grass ' (0. J.
Lysne).

20. Northern Marsh Tit. Parus salicarius, C. L. Brehm.
(=P. borealis, De Selys).

Fillefjeld and Yaldersfjeld.

*21. Siberian Tit. Parus cinctus, Bodd. (=P. sibiricus,
Gmel.).

This species was not observed by ourselves,
but noted by Dr. Printz as inhabiting the Fillefjeld
and Valdersfjeld.

22. Blue Tit. Parus cceruleus, L.

Found in the valleys by us.

23. Tree Creeper. Certhiafamiliaris, L.

Observed by us in the valleys.

24. White Wagtail. Motacilla alba, L.

'Erie,' 'Linerle' (0. J. Lysne). Fillefjeld and
Valdersfjeld list.

'Linerle. Six eggs taken by 0. J. L., ipse,

no TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

close to the station, Blaaflaten, in a stone wall,
14th May, 1872.'

'Five eggs taken by 0. J. L., ipse, in the stone
wall about two yards from the door of the station
at Husum, 17th May, 1872.'

' Five eggs taken by 0. J. L., ipse, from the-
same nest that had six eggs taken on 14th May
at Blaaflaten, 22nd May, 1872.'

' Linerle. Four eggs, hard set, taken 27th
May, 1872, by 0. J. L., ipse, at Maristuen.'

'Linerle. Five eggs taken 30th June, 1872,
locality not stated (0. J. Lysne).'

25. Blue-headed Wagtail. Motacilla flava, L.

1 Gulerle ' (0. J. Lysne). Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld
list.

' Gulerle. Four eggs taken 15th June, 1872,
by 0. J. L., ipse, close to the station, Nystuen.'

'..Gulerle. Four eggs, too hard set, taken by
0. J. L., ipse, near Syndin ' (date not given,
but was from context, probably 24th June, 1872).

' Gulerle. Two eggs, which were too hard set
to blow, taken by 0. J. L., ipse, 25th June, 1872.
Shells of eggs were all round the nest, which was
in the grass at Syndin Soeter.'
25a. Motacilla flava. Var. viridis, Gmel.*
Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

26. Meadow Pipit. Anthus pratensis (L.).

' Lerke.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

27. Tree Pipit. Anthus trivialis (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

' Lerke? Four eggs taken by 0. J. L., ipse,
27th June, 1872, found on the hills near Helim'
[sent undetermined by Lysne, and determined as
' Anthus trivialis (L.) ' by J. A. H. B.] .

* All the above belong to the var. viridis— i.e., under 25 and
25 a—.

NORWAY in

28 Spotted Flycatcher. Muscicapa grisola, L.
Observed by us in the valleys.

'Two eggs found 6th July, 1872, in a hollow
of an old birch-tree, about 2 feet from the ground.'
No locality stated, probably near where Cyanecula
suecica was found same day (0. J. Lysne).

29. Pied Flycatcher. Muscicapa atricapilla, L.

' Sort and hvid Fluesnapper ' (0. J. Lysne).
Observed by us in the valleys.

' Six eggs taken 23rd May, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, from nest in a hole in a birch- tree, at Mo,
Loerdal.'

'Four eggs taken 29th May, 1872, by 0. J.
Lysne near Bjorkum, Loerdal ' (0. J. Lysne).

'Four eggs taken 10th June, 1872, by 0. J.
Lysne at Bjorkum ' (0. J. Lysne).

30. Swallow. Hirundo rustica, L.

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

31. House Martin. Chelidon urbica (L.)

4 Svale.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

32. Sand Martin. Co tile riparia (L.).

Observed by us in the valleys.

33. House Sparrow. Passer domesticus (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

34. Chaffinch. Fringilla ccelebs, L.

* Added to our Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list by
Dr. Printz, who remarked of it, ' Ovenfor
Skogstad i Wang.'

Observed by us in the valleys.

'Four eggs taken 10th June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse. The nest was on a branch of a birch-tree at
Bjorkum, Loerdal, and was built of moss, lined
with fine grass and a little wool. The birds were
not seen ' [The eggs were identified as of this
species by J. A. H. B.] .

112 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

35. Brambling. Fr ing ilia montifringilla, L.

'Bjergfinke' (0. J. Lysne). Fillefjeld and Val-
dersfjeld list.

' Three eggs taken 27th May, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, in birch- wood below Maristuen, Fillefjeld.'

* Six eggs taken by a boy 29th May, 1872, from
a nest found in a fork of a birch-tree in the wood
below Maristuen' (0. J. Lysne).

' Five eggs taken 30th May, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, in the wood below Maristuen, Fillefjeld.'

36. Linnet. Linota cannabina, (L.).

Not observed by us in Norway.

' Three eggs and nest taken 24th May, 1872, by
0. J. L., ipse. The nest was in a fork of a birch-
tree about 10 feet from the ground, at Mo, Loerdal.
The bird was on the nest, but wild and quite mute.'
' Six eggs taken with nest 10th June, 1872, by
0. J. L., ipse, who saw one of the birds but could
not get near it to identify it [the eggs were
afterwards determined by J. A. H. B. as of this
species]. The nest was built in the fork of a
birch-tree about 14 feet from the ground.'

37. Twite. Linota flavirostris (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

38. Mealy Redpoll. Linota linaria (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

4 One egg was taken 19th June, 1872, by Lars
Eraker from a nest he found in a fork of a tree as
he cut it down, place not stated. The nest was
built of dry grass and lined with a good deal of
feathers' (0. J. Lysne).

39. Lesser Redpoll. Linota rufescens (Vieill.).

This species is not included in the lists in the appen-
dices to the diary, but is noted in the diary itself,
as shot at Maristuen on 14th June, 1871 (?).

NORWAY 113

40. Yellowhammer. Emberiza citrinella, L.

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

Dr. Printz remarks of it, ' Ovenfor Skogstad
i Wang.'

Also observed by us in the valleys.

'Four eggs taken 30th May, 1872, by a boy
who could not give 0. J. Lysne any information
about either the nest or the bird.'

41. Reed Bunting. Emberiza schoeniclus, L.

'Sivspurnen' (0. J. Lysne). Fillefjeld and Val-
dersfjeld list.

42. Snow Bunting. Plectrophenas nivalis (L.).

* Sne-fugl.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

43. Starling. Sturnus vulgaris, L.

1 Stor ' (0. J. Lysne). * Added to our Fillefjeld and

Valdersfjeld list by Dr. Printz, who remarks of it,

'paa Qvamenaaset i Wang.'

•Observed by ourselves in the valleys.
' Stor. Four eggs taken by 0. J. L., ipse. Nest

on the roof of Loerdalsoren Hotel, 29th April,

1872.'

44. Siberian Jay. Perisoreus infaustus (L.).

Observed by us in the valleys : one near Lien, llth
May, 1871.

45. Magpie. Pica rustica (Scop.) .

' Skjer.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

46. Grey (or Hooded) Crow. Corvus comix, L.

'Krage,' ' Kraake ' (0. J. Lysne). Fillefjeld and
Valdersfjeld list.

* Kraake.' Two eggs, hard set, taken 23rd May,

1872, by 0. J. L., ipse, at Mo, Lcerdal.'

47. Raven. Corvus cor ax, L.

' Eaven.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

48. Swift. Cypselus apus (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.
VOL. i. 9

ii4 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

49. Great Black Woodpecker. Picus martins, L.

Twice observed by us in the valleys.

50. Barred (or Lesser Spotted) Woodpecker. Dendrocopus

minor (L.).

* Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillef jeld and Valders-
fjeld list, with the following note : ' Ovenfor
Skogstad ved Fillef jeld.'

Observed by E. R. Alston in the valleys.

51. Green Woodpecker. Gecinus viridis (L.).

Observed by J. A. H. B. in the valleys.

52. Grey-headed Green Woodpecker. Gecinus canus (Gmel.).

* This is not mentioned in the appendixes to the

diary, but the diary itself notes it as an addition
to our lists, made by Dr. Printz.

53. Wryneck. lynx torquilla (L.).

Observed by us in the valleys.

54. Cuckoo. Cuculus canorus, L.

' Gok Gog.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

55. Snowy Owl. Nyctea scandiaca (L.)

' Sne-ugle ' (0. J. Lysne). ' Sne-uglen ' (Id.).

*Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and
Valdersfjeld list, with the note, * Surnia nyctea, i
Wang og Valdersflyen.'

' Sne-ugle. Four eggs taken by Lars Eraker,
1st June, 1872. Nest merely a hollow in the
ground, on the top of a low hill at the foot of the
Suletind, Fillefjeld, on the N.E. side of the
mountain.' [Note follows by J. A. H. B. that these
eggs are quite correctly determined.]

' Sne-ugle. Seven eggs taken 17th June, 1872,
by 0. J. L., ipse. The nest was on a low hill at
the N.W. side of Suletind, Fillefjeld. The birds
were seen on the nest, but they were very wild, so
there was no chance of having a shot at them.
Remains of Lemmings and Mice were laid all round

NORWAY 115

the nest. As soon as the nest was entered the
birds commenced screaming, and made a most
awful noise, sometimes similar to that of the Great
Owl (Bubo ignavus, Forst.).' [J. A. H. B. notes
that it was a very handsome set of eggs, but one
egg was abnormally small.]

1 Sne-ugle. Five eggs taken 9th July, 1872, by
0. J. L., ipse, about 8 English miles from and
S.E. of Nystuen. The nest was placed on the top
of a low rock, and was merely a hollow in the
reindeer-moss. The eggs were hard set. Both
birds were seen, but they were very wild. The
colour of these eggs was not so pure white as
those of the 17th June. At the time the eggs were
taken out of the nest they were the dirtiest eggs
ever seen' [J. A. H. B. notes that these he also
believes are correct, though somewhat peculiar.
J. A. H. B. also writes marginally, ' Cannot under-
stand.']

' Sne-ugle. Four eggs taken 13th July, 1872, by
0. J. L., ipse, on the mountain above Breistolen,
on the Hallingdal road. The nest was placed at
the side of a hill on a rock. Lysne had a shot at
the hen and wounded her. The eggs were hard
set.' [J. A. H, B. writes, ' May be correct but are
more like K. L. B., ' hen wounded.' J. A. H. B.
also writes marginally, ' May be right, but
curious.']

'Sne-ugle. Four eggs taken 23rd July, 1872,
by 0. J. L., ipse, by the aid of Lars Eraker, who
had seen the eggs and nest before, but would not
take them before 0. J. L. was present, as the eggs
differed a great deal from any egg of the kind we
have seen. The nest was on a hill near Sule-vand,
Fillefjeld. Both birds [were seen] flying about

n6 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

very wildly.' [J. A. H. B. notes '(One broken)
most peculiar, but 'both birds seen flying about
very wildly.' J. A. H. B. also has marginal note,
' Very peculiar.']

56. Hawk Owl. Surnia ulula (L.).

* Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Valders-

fjeld list, with note, * S. funerea, Ostre i Slidre.'

57. Tengmalm's Owl. Nyctale tengmalmi (Gmel.)

* ' Natt-ugla,' 'Katt-ugle' (0. J. Lysne). Not in-
cluded in any of the appendices, but the diary
includes a reference to its occurrence on the
Fillefjeld, on the authority of Ole J. Lysne.

58. Short-eared Owl. Asio accipitrinus (Pall.).

*Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Valders-
fjeld list, with remark, ' Otus brachyotus ved
Syndinvand i Wang.'

59. Eagle Owl. Bubo ignavus, Forst.

' Bjerg-ulf,' ' Bjerg-ugle.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld
list.

' Bjerg-ugle. Four eggs taken by Lars Eraker,
28th May, 1872, in Honningbjerget, near Maristuen,
Fillefjeld. The birds were seen, but were very
wild. One of the eggs was broken before being
taken from the nest.' [J. A. H. B. notes, ' Birds
seen, but very wild.' Very rum -looking Eagle
Owl's eggs, and very dirty.]

60. Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris, Leach.

* Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Vanders-
f jeld list, with note, ' Buteo vulgaris, paa Noget ved
Syndinvand i Wang.' Observed by ourselves in
the valleys.

61. Rough-legged Buzzard. Archibuteo lagopus (GmeL).

' Fjeld-Orn.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

Suletind, four eggs, 22nd July, 1871, by 0. J. L.
(see his letter 27.7.71) and Lars Eraker.

NORWAY 117

Store Frostdal, three eggs, 21st August, 1871,
by 0. J. L. and Peder Hougen (see letter
29.8.71).

Sore Sul, two eggs, 22nd August, 1871, by
0. J. L. and Peder Hougen.

Valdersdal, two eggs, 8th September, 1871,
0. J. L.

Smedalsbjerg, two eggs, 8th September, 1871,
0. J. L.

Gronnenaaser, one egg, 10th September, 1871,
0. J. L.

Suletind, one egg, 10th September, 1871, 0. J. L.

62. Golden Eagle. Aquila chrysaetos (L.).

' Kong-Orn." Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list. Seen
once by us near Skogstad.

63. Sparrow-hawk. Accipiter nisus (L.).

* Added by Dr. -Printz to our Fillefjeld and Val-
dersfjeld list, with the remark, ' Astur nisus —
paa Fillefjeld.' Observed by ourselves in the
valleys.

'Five eggs taken 22nd May, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, from nest in birch -wood above the station at
Blaaflaten. It consisted of an old crow's nest,
which was filled with moss, etc., so that the nest
was quite flat at the top. The nest was about 16
feet from the ground. Kemains of small birds,
particularly Thrushes and Wagtails, were lying all
round the place. The eggs were quite fresh.'
[These eggs were sent by Lysne as Falco tinnun-
culus, but were determined as Accipiter nisus by
J. A. H.B.].'

64. Gyrfalcon. Falco gyrfalco, L.

*Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Valders-
fjeld list, with the note, ' Falco gyrfalco in 1866
og 1868, paa Fjelde i Wang.'

n8 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

65. Peregrine Falcon. Falco peregrinus, Tunst.

' Hose Hog.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list. Heard

by us on two occasions and seen once.
Dr. Printz notes, ' 1864 og 1866. Fjelde i Wang.'

66. Merlin. Falco asalon, Tunst.

*Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Valders-
fjeld list with the note, ' F. lithofalco, paa Fille-
fjeld.'

67. Kestrel. Falco tinnunculus, L.

1 Veirstiller,' ' Taarnfalke ' (0. J. Lysne). Fillefjeld
and Valdersfjeld list. We found this species pre-
paring to breed at an elevation of 4,000 feet. Dr.
Printz noted of it, ' paa Fillefjeld.'

68. Wild Duck. Anas boscas, L.

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

69. Teal. Nettion crecca (L.).

' Pel-arid. ' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

70. Pintail Duck. Dafila acuta (L.).

Observed by us in the valleys : at Fagernaes, $ and
? .

71. Wigeon. Mareca penelope (L.).

Observed by us in the valleys.

72. Scaup Duck. ^Ethya marila (L.).

' Hvid-sid.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

73. Goldeneye Duck. Clangula glaucion, (L.).

* Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Valders-
fjeld list, with the note, ' Glancion clangula, ved
Syndinvand i Wang.'

Observed by ourselves in the valleys.

74. Long-tailed Duck. Harelda glacialis (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld lists. Bred once, fide
Printz.

75. Velvet Scoter. (Edemiafusca (L.)

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

NORWAY 119

' Eight eggs and down taken 24th June, 1872,
by 0. J. L., ipse, on an island in Syndin lake ; the
nest was below a bush and about 30 yards from
the water.'

' Seven eggs and down taken 25th June, 1872,
by 0. J. L., ipse, near Helim Soeter. The nest
was about 25 yards from the water in some under-
wood. The hen bird was seen.'

' Six eggs and down taken 2nd July, 1872, by
0. J. L., ipse, on the Gjeitoen (Goat Island) on
the Lake Svenskin. The nest was about 16 yards
from the water.'

All these three lots were sent by Lysne as of
(Ed. nigra, but J. A. H. B. considered the eggs as
* those of this species.'

About 24th June, 1872, 0. J. Lysne was given
two duck's eggs by a Soeter girl, who had de-
stroyed the other eggs, which she had found to
the number of ten on an island in Syndin Lake.
[These eggs were considered by J. A. H. B.
to be of this species. Lysne had sent them
unnamed.]

76. Black Scoter. (Edemia nigra (L.).

' Skjer-and/ ' Sjo-orre ' (0. L. Lysne), 'Havorre ' (Id).
Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

'One duck's egg found 24th June, 1872, by
0. J. L., ipse, on the sand on an island in Syndin
Lake' [which J. A. H. B. thought to be this
species] .

77. Goosander. Mergus merganser, L.

*Added with a query by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld
and Valdersfjeld list with the remark, ' M. mer-
ganser ?, ved Syndin vand i Wang ? '

Observed by Alston. One $ , Vossevangen, E. E.
Alston.

120 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

78. Bed-breasted Merganser. Mergus serrator, L.

*Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillef jeld and Valdersf jeld
list, with the remark, * Ved Syndinvand i Wang ? '
Observed by ourselves in the valleys.

79. Ring-dove or Wood Pigeon. Columba palumbus, L.

Observed by us in the valleys.

80. Willow Grouse. Lagopus albus (Gmel.).

'SkovBype.' ' Lirype ' (0. J. Lysne). Fillef jeld
and Valdersf jeld list.

* Eight eggs, too hard set to be blown, taken
12th June, 1872, by 0. J. L., ipse, near Slutebro,
Fillef jeld.' [These were received by J. A. H. B.,
unblown, and all broken but two.]

'Lagopus albus. Fjeld Bype (0. J. Lysne).
Seven eggs, hard set, taken 20th June, 1872, by
0. J. L., ipse, on the mountain between Maristuen
and Nystuen.'

81. Ptarmigan. Lagopus mutus (Montin).

'Fjeld Eype.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

82. Black Grouse. Tetrao tetrix, L.

'Ow. fugl.' 'Aarfugl' (0. J. Lysne). *Added by
Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list
with the note, ' paa Qvamenaaset i Wang.'

' Tetras tetrix. aarfugl. Two eggs found 16th
July, 1872, in a nest where the others had been
hatched. The nest was below a juniper bush in
thick wood below Maristuen, Fillefjeld ; birds not
seen (0. J. Lysne).

83. Crane. Grus communis, Bechst.

* Added to our Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list by Dr.
Printz, with the note, ' Grus cinerea, paa Valders-
flyen — once'

84. Golden Plover. Charadrius pluvialis, L.

'Hejlo' (0. J. Lysne). Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld
list.

NORWAY 121

' Three eggs found 14th June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, on the hill near Kirkestolen ; the nest was
merely a hollow in the ground, and the eggs were
very hard set. No bird was seen, but " long dis-
tance off I heard a Golden Plover, to which I think
the nest belongs " ' (0. J. Lysne, MS.).

* Four eggs taken 24th June, 1872, on the way
to Syndin Lake, by 0. J. L., ipse ; the nest was
on a small hill close to Syndin Soeter.'

85. Ringed Plover.. Mgialitis hiaticula (L.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

86. Dotterel. Eudromias morinellus (L.).

*Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Valders-
fjeld list, with the note, ' C. Morinellus, ved Syn-
dinvand i Wang.'

87. Woodcock. Scolopax rusticula (L.).

' Skov-sneppe ' (0. J. Lysne). ' Eugden ' (Id.).
Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

' Three eggs taken 3rd June, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, in the wood near Station Hog ; the nest was
only a hollow in the ground below a bush. This
nest was first found by a boy, who took the
fourth egg and broke it. One of the birds was
seen.'

88. Great (or Double) Snipe. Gallinago major (Gmel.).

Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list. Breeds in scattered
pairs, not in colonies.

89. Common (or Single) Snipe. Gallinago calestis (TPrenz&l.) .

1 Bekkesin.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

90. Broad-billed Sandpiper. Limicolaplatyrhyncha(Temm.').

*Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Valders-
fjeld list, with the note, 'Ved Syndinvand i
Wang in 1861. Two nests, Godman and
Printz.'

122 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

91. Dunlin. T ring a alpina, L.

Fillefjeld and Valdersf jeld list. Dr. Printz's notes,—
1 Ved Syndinvand i Wang.'

92. Redshank. Totanus calidris (L.).

'Fuke-Tete.' ' Kodhenetsneppe ' (0. J. Lysne).
Fillefjeld and Valdersf jeld list.

' Totanus calidris. Kodhenetsneppe. Four eggs

taken 2nd July, 1872, by 0. J. L., ipse, on the

Stegleoen, Svenskin.'

93. Greenshank. Totanus glottis (L.).

* Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Valders-

fjeld list, with note as follows: 'T. Glottis ved
Tyenvand paa Fille Fjeld.'
Observed by ourselves in the valleys.

94. Green Sandpiper. Totanus ochropus (L.).

Observed by ourselves in the valleys ; shot at Skoien.

95. Wood Sandpiper. Totanus glareola (Ginel.).

* Added by Dr. Printz to our Fillefjeld and Valders-

fjeld list, with the note, ' T. glareola, mellem
Skogstad og Nystuen.'

96. Common Sandpiper (or Summer Snipe). Totanus hypo-

leucos (L.).
Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

97. Common Tern. Sterna flumatilis, Naum.

Observed by us in the valleys.

98. Common Gull. Larus canus, L.

' Maag-maas.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

99. Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus fuscus, L.

Observed in the valleys by J. A. H. B. at Vosse-
vangen.

100. Black Guillemot. Uria grylle, L.

Observed by ourselves in the valleys ; Sogne Fjord.

101. Black-throated Diver. Colymbus arcticus, L.
' Lorn.' Fillefjeld and Valdersfjeld list.

NORWAY 123

The following are records of eggs and nests of ducks
sent by Ole J. Lysne in 1872, to which determinate
names have not been applied.

' One Duck's egg found 2nd July, 1872, by 0. J. L.,
ipse, in the Kvoevlin Vand. The egg was broken and
laid on a hill amongst some other broken shells.' Lysne
observed an Ermine close by.

' One egg found 3rd July, 1872, on the shore of
Svenskin below a juniper bush. No bird was seen.'
[J.A.H.B. added4 Duck?']

5 ^ O S 10 MILES

London ; T. Fisher

StaTiSbrds Geoql EstaJbt London

ARCHANGEL

1872

H «

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(J tf i-3

5 O O

£ O O

O 69 5

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P5 O

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ARCHANGEL

1872

INTKODUCTION

IN 1872 my friend Mr. Edward K. Alston and myself,
wishing to make an ornithological expedition with hopes
of making discoveries of some importance, and of doing
our part towards the elucidation of some of the problems
which were at that time pressing for solution, turned our
attention to the possibilities afforded by the extreme
north-eastern portion of Finland, and by the Archangel
region, eventually deciding upon the latter.

The inducements which weighed with us were that the
Archangel region afforded us a better chance of meeting
with new and really rare species, and that, in addition to
its yielding all that we could expect to find in Finland,
we could reasonably anticipate finding a great deal more,
as well as many rare eastern species. The region, which
is the most north-eastern locality* in Europe accessible
to a collector, had never been more than half worked by
ornithologists, though Meves, of Stockholm, had visited
it in 1869. We heard, however, that Dr. Ficssen, of
St. Petersbourg, expressed surprise at our preference, and
agreed with Professor Newton that the extreme north-

* Mezen is more north-easterly, and quite accessible (v. 1875).

127

128 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

east of Finland, had not been nearly so much worked as
the Archangel tract.

Further inducements were afforded in that our friend
Mr. H. E. Dresser's introductions to people in Archangel
and elsewhere would be most valuable to us, and secure
us every possible attention and assistance ; * also that
the people all speak German and many of them English, t
and that the trip would certainly not cost more than, if
as much as, Finland. We found that £100 was quite
ample for the trip we took.

In respect of the ornithological possibilities, taking
Lilljeborg's paper in ' Naumannia,' for 1852, p. 87, which
included observations made at Archangel, Cholmogory,
Wagnuskaya, Ladejnopole, Weitegra, Kargopol, Nowaja
Ladoga, and Skuretskaya (coast of Kussian Lapland),
and omitting not only species of general occurrence, but
also (as not pertaining to the area we proposed for our
own investigation) all those which he found at Skuret-
skaya only, we noted the following birds as being of
special interest to us : —

Icterine Warbler (Hypolais icterina).

Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita).

Blyth's Keed Warbler (Acrocephalus dumetorum).

Northern Marsh Tit (Parus salicarius).

Golden Oriole (Oriolus galbula).

Twite (Linota flavirostris) .

Mealy Eedpoll (Linota tin-aria).

Brambling (Fringilla montifringilld).

Scarlet Finch (Carpodacus erytkrinus).

* Any one carrying introductions and visiting Archangel is treated
like a prince ; we never experienced more kindness anywhere.

| All the upper classes speak German, and many of them also
speak English ; but only ' harbour-English ' is spoken by stevedores
and workmen in the harbour.

ARCHANGEL 129

White- winged Crossbill (Loxia leucopterd).

Yellow-breasted Bunting (Ember iza aureola).

Little Bunting (E. pusilld).

Siberian Jay (Perisoreus infaustus).

Great Black Woodpecker (Picus martius).

Pied (or Greater Spotted) Woodpecker (Dendrocopus

major).

White-backed Woodpecker (D. leuconotus).
Barred (or Lesser Spotted) Woodpecker (D. minor\
Boiler (Coracias garruld).
Buzzard (Buteo vulgar is).
Sea-Eagle (Halicetus albicilld).
Honey Buzzard (Pernis apivorus).
Ked-legged Falcon (Falco vespertinus) .
Black Kite (Milvus nigrans).
Bittern (Botaurus stellaris).
Shoveller (Spatula clypeatd).
Garganey (Querquedula circid).
Pintail (Dafila acuta).
Wigeon (Mareca penelope) .
Pochard (Mihyia ferind) .
Scaup Duck (M. marild).
Tufted Duck (& '. fuliguld) .
Goldeneye (Clangula glaucioii).
Velvet Scoter ((Edemia fused} .
Black (or Common) Scoter (CE. nigra).
Willow Grouse (Lagopus albus).
Hazel Grouse (Tetrastes bonasid).
Spotted Crake (Porzana maruettd).
Crane (Grus communis) .
Golden Plover (Cliaradrius pluvialis).
Little Ringed Plover (Mgialitis curonicd).
Snipe, or Brehm's Snipe (Gallinago caelestis, or brehmi).
Spotted Redshank (Totanus fuscus).
Greenshank (T. glottis).
VOL. i. 10

130 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Green Sandpiper (T. ochropus).

Wood Sandpiper (T. glareola).

Terek Sandpiper (Terekia cinerea) .

Whimbrel (Numenius phceopus) .

Little Gull (Larus minutus).

Bed-throated Diver (Colymbus septentrionalis) .

Black-throated Diver (C. arcticus).

My good friend Mr. H. E. Dresser, whose advice and
whose suggestions innumerable have always been of great
service to us, noted for us also : —

Lapp Owl (Strix lapponica).

Ural Owl (S. uralensis).

Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca).

Tengmalm's Owl (Nyctala tengmalmi).

Pigmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum) .

Siberian Titmouse (Parus cinctus).

Azure Titmouse (P. cyanus).

Wax wing (Ampelis garrulus).

Eversmann's Warbler (Phylloscopus borealis).

And probably other Asiatic warblers, as the Booted
Warbler (Hipolais caligata), and perhaps the Dusky
Thrush (Turdus dubius = T. fuscatus), and other eastern
forms ; also the Yellow-browed Bunting (Emberiza
chrysophrys) and the Lapland Bunting (Cakarius lap-
ponicus) .

Mr. Dresser also noted the Jack Snipe (Gallinago galli-
nula} as almost certain to occur, but in the result we did
not meet with it at all.

He also furnished us with notes from the proof-sheets
of Meves' paper as to the occurrence of the Large-billed
Willow Warbler* (Phylloscopus, or Calamolierpe-magniros-
tris), the Lanceolated Warbler (Locustella lanceolata),

•>' This warbler has since proved to be Blyth's Eeed-Warbler
(Acrocephalus dumetorum).

ARCHANGEL 131

the River Warbler (L. fluviatilis), the Rustic Bunting
(Emberiza rustica), the Little Bunting (E. pusilla), the
Yellow-breasted Bunting (E. aureola), the Two-barred
Crossbill (Loxia bifasciata), Pallas's Grasshopper Warbler
(Locustella certhiola), Larus cachinnans, and the Smew
(Mergus albellus).

Herr Meves preserved forty-one specimens of the Little
Gull (Larus minutus) obtained on the Ladoga Canal, near
Novaja Ladoga, in 1871, but this species is very rare at
Archangel, and was never seen by us.

A large collection of skins was made by a man em-
ployed by Hoffmansegg after he had left, which passed
into the custody of one of Mr. Dresser's friends there,
who wrote to Mr. Dresser that Meves saw them and said
there were several rare Eastern birds among them. He
offered a considerable sum for the pick, but they would
only sell the lot. Mr. Dresser wished to get them,
and afterwards had his pick, Mr. Frank, of London,
getting the remainder, of which I bespoke some. We
saw the collection, but there were not many rare birds
in it.

As to our choice of routes, after considering the ques-
tion of proceeding to the White Sea by sea or by over-
land journey from St. Petersbourg, we decided on the
latter, as the steamers, whether sailing from Dundee or
London for the White Sea direct, or from Shields or Hull
for Trondjhem, and thence by coasters, were too un-
certain and started too late in the season.

We ascertained that the overland route would be by
rail to St. Petersbourg, and thence to Archangel either by
sledge or driving, according to time of leaving — the dis-
tance of this land journey being 1,104 versts (= 750
miles) from St. Petersbourg to Archangel. This was de-
scribed to us as being by good road all the way, and not
difficult unless the winter ice has begun to break up, in

132 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

which case it is better to wait a week, even at St. Peters-
bourg, and travel by summer route ; the snow should,
however, be sufficiently melted by the middle of April.
We took this route, and found that the road is bad in
summer, but splendid in winter before the snow melts.
We found tarantasse travelling trying, though not so
bad, perhaps, as described.

We also ascertained that we could get good and cheap
living at Archangel, either at an hotel or private lodging,
and we found it so ; also that there were excellent shops
in Archangel, at which even ' Liebig ' was procurable,
and that we should not need to take any provisions.

As to servants, it was arranged that we should have a
man who speaks both Russ and English, and we were
informed that there are certainly people in Archangel
who can skin for us. We found that our boatmen
(Nicholai and Jacof Gregorovitch) could, after being
taught by us, skin well, as also could our new friend
Piottuch. Piottuch was engaged as interpreter and bird-
skinner, the latter under our tuition. Heinke, the man
employed by Hoffmansegg, had long since left, and was
now in South Russia. Heinrich — a dealer — charges too
high, and had but little time in summer to devote to
skinning. He was a furrier, and during the summer
lived in Solombola.

The time of year for starting, we learnt, was about
the middle of April from Great Britain, but we found
that if the whole season's collecting be desired, it is need-
ful to start much earlier than we did, even earlier than
mid- April, in order to get the hard snow, before it melts,
for sledging.*

As to firearms, we learned that Russian law required
them to be left at the frontier, and after due inquiries

* This, however, is now (1903) affected by the fact of there being
railway communication with Archangel.

ARCHANGEL 133

made they would be forwarded, if all were found correct.
On further inquiries we were unable to obtain permission
from the Russian Legation in London to take more than
one gun each, and when we arrived at Archangel we
found we had not only to pay 18 roubles (£2 10s.) for our
guns and ammunition, charged by weight, but that they
were detained a whole fortnight at the Custom House.

We learnt that cartridges could be procured at St. Peters-
bourg, but not so good as English ones. We were advised
to take in as much good powder and caps as we could, as
German stuff is bad and made to sell ; we were also to
take dust shot. Each person is allowed to take in 1 Ib.
of powder. Mr. Rennie, of Dundee, told us that Russian
powder is not bad now. (It is as big as marbles — at
least, any we saw was so.) English powder, and English
caps, may at times be bought at Solombola, but one can-
not trust to being able to obtain them. Piottuch bought
us 1 Ib., and then could get no more.

Shot of all the useful sizes can be procured, even dust
shot. It is not so good as English, but answers every
purpose perfectly well, and most of our small birds were
shot with Russian small shot with our stick-guns. One
peasant made his own shot by pouring the lead from the
branch of a high tree into water beneath.

What we took with us was 250 c.f. cartridges (No. 7
and 4 shot, and 25 with ball), 750 caps suitable for stick-
gun or loading cartridges, 6 Ibs. dust shot, 1 Ib. of Schultz
powder, and 1 Ib. of black powder. We found it nearly
sufficient, except that we could have done with more
No. 7 and less No. 4 shot.

As to the physical and climatological conditions of the
Archangel district, we were assured that the weather is
generally excellent at the season at which we proposed to
go, cruising about the delta of the Dvina, in gipsy fashion,
being both easy and very pleasant and enjoyable. And

134 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

so we found it, the weather being lovely during our
investigations.

The country, Mr. Morgan told us, was partly wooded,
partly swampy, partly cultivated. The delta is the place
for birds, and is of great extent ; also, of course, the sur-
rounding forests. Onega is not much good for shooting,
and certainly there are not many Waders or Wildfowl
there. A large island was spoken of as being about half
a day's sail out in the White Sea, where Mr. Dresser was
assured that ' all sorts ' of Wildfowl breed, but no one
has collected there. Any of the pilots would take us
over, as they all live on the island. This evidently refers
to Solovetsk.

We were told that Meves got numbers of little boys to
work for him, which may have been the case, but we
utterly failed in this. We found them lazy, and not to
seem to know the value of kopecs, like ordinary mortals.

As to the great peninsula which lies to the west of the
White Sea, we learnt that it is uninhabited except by
fishermen in summer, and along the coast * only.

It certainly had, to us, a most uninviting aspect from
the sea, and the journey to it would be a difficult
one.

As to books and maps relating to the region, we were
informed from St. Petersbourg that the maps of the Arch-
angel region only existed in small scale, 100 versts to
the inch — but when we were there, we had the use of
admirable charts of the delta from Mr. Shergold and Mr.
Birse, and a copy of the best of these was made and sent
to us by Piottuch, and which is now reproduced.

There were useful papers on the Ornithology, such

has Hoffmansegg's on the Birds of Archangel in the

' Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung fiir Naturgeschichte,'

and Lilljeborg's paper in ' Naumannia,' 1852; in addition

* The Murraauian coast,

ARCHANGEL 135

to the notes on the birds around Archangel included in
Dresser's ' Birds of Europe.'

My personal luggage — in addition to the pea-coat and
check trews I had on — was as follows : —

A large portmanteau, containing a suit, spare knicker-
bockers, light trousers, velvet coat and waistcoat, 3 pairs
of long stockings, and 4 of socks, 3 flannel shirts with
collars, 12 collars, ties, 18 pocket-handkerchiefs, 2 pairs of
shooting boots, slippers, leggings, mosquito-veils, gloves,
spare boot-laces and boot-nails, toilet requisites (brush,
comb, tooth-brush and tablets, soap-box and soap,
sponge), vols. ii. and iii. of Bree's book, Blasius* list,
writing-case, gummed paper, indiarubber rings, botanical
paper and boards, needle-book and thread-bag, box of
pins, triangular needles,* Keating's insect powder, labels
ready cut, wax candles, vestas and pipe-lights, spare
pipes, tobacco (IJ-lb. uncut, J-lb. cut), climbing irons,*
small fly-book and reel, flexible hat, cap, small powder
and shot flasks for stick-gun.

A hand-bag contained my journal and three or four
small note-books with straps, map and guide-book, novel,
telescope, hunting-knife, |-lb. cut tobacco, large flask,
collecting-box, ink-bottle, compass, egg-instruments, etc.

A bundle consisted of a plaid, macintosh, and rubber
ground-sheet.

The gun-case contained gun, cleaner, oil, and gun-sling
and cartridges.

Another package contained * fishing-rods, stick-guns,
and ramrods. * The fishing-rods proved to be un-
necessary.

The cartridge-carrier held 100 cartridges.

The packet of ammunition was as before stated.

We were told that we should find good tobacco and
good cigars procurable at Archangel, but no cavendish or
* These articles were Afterwards found to be unnecessary,

136 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

shag. We ourselves got good bird's-eye and fair black
cavendish from the captain of the Stevenson and others,
through Mr. Birse, but it is recommended to take a good
supply with one. The Russian tobacco is either very
weak, and for smoking in cigarettes, or very very filthy
and weak too. Cigars are Kiga-made and smokable, but
not good. Plenty of wooden pipes should be taken.
Clay pipes are only sometimes procurable in Solombola,
and the wooden pipes of the country hold about a
thimbleful only. Other wooden pipes are not good, and
badly made.

Any wine we saw was not fine wine, sweet champagne
and sweet Sauterne and pale sherry. Arrak and water
was not bad tipple, and ' quass ' was good.

NAEEATIVE

June 1.

OUR Archangel trip commenced on the 1st of June,
when we left London about 8.45 p.m. for Calais, having
at the last moment decided to take the overland passage
instead of the steamer Dvina. Our heavy luggage was
sent to Mr. Dresser to be forwarded to Archangel by the
s.s. Sjcdland from London.

We reached Calais about midnight, and left there about
1 a.m. on Sunday, the 2nd of June.

June 3.

We left Berlin at 11.5 o'clock at night on Monday, the
3rd of June, in beautiful carriages with draw-out cushions
which nearly meet. We got one all to ourselves and
slept most comfortably.

June 4.

We travelled on Tuesday, the 4th of June, all day
through the tiresome plains of Prussia, the country
continuing throughout of much the same character, a
great stretch of slightly undulating plain, well culti-
vated, with small villages and farms along the route.

Storks were plentiful, having their nests on the farm-
house roofs, sometimes three nests on one roof, but
oftener only one. Along the route we stopped about
every four or five hours and got refreshments, which
were always good.

137

138 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

We crossed the frontier about 4 p.m. between
Ejdtkuhnen and Wirballen, at which latter place what
luggage we had with us was examined, passports were
shown, etc. Having a couple of hours to wait we had a
meal, and then started in the Russian train, which was
not so good as the Prussian. We went on through
Poland, and reached Wilna about 10 p.m. After that we
both got off to sleep.

June 5.

On Wednesday, the 5th of June — very hot — we
travelled all day through vast level forests of Scots pine,
birch, spruce, poplar, etc., with here and there at long
intervals, clearings and villages, and an occasional lake.
This, continuing with but slight change all the way to
St. Petersbourg, became extremely monotonous. We did
not observe many birds, those we recognised including
Bed-backed Shrike (2), Storks (scarcer, none seen after
Konigsberg), Hooded Crow, Pied Flycatcher, Goshawk, etc.

Our stoppages were at Diinaborg and Pskow, and we
reached St. Petersbourg about 4.30 p.m. Here we had a
series of mishaps. First of all, our registered luggage
was not forthcoming, and we were informed that as
to-morrow was a holiday we could not get it till the day
after. Alston and I then leaving the station in droschkies
got separated. He got to the Hotel de France and I to
the Hotel d'Angleterre, and then each set about looking
for the other, and eventually managed to meet. The
sunset to-night at a quarter to nine was very fine, tinging
the houses a delicate purplish rose-colour.

June 6.

On Thursday, the 6th of June — a very hot day — Alston
removed to my hotel after breakfast, the advantages being
greater, including an English commissionaire, Mr. James
Pilley, whose services we engaged. A commissionaire is

ARCHANGEL 139

indispensable to one who does not know the language,
and wishes as little delay as possible. Mr. Pilley
charged five roubles a day, and took every trouble for us,
losing no time. Thanks to him, we were only delayed a
couple of days in St. Petersbourg — which is pretty nearly
a record, Meves having been delayed as much as ten days.

We called upon M. Gromme, to whom Mr. Dresser
had given us letters of introduction. We found him
very polite, and arranged to call on him ' on 'Change '
to-morrow before four o'clock.

We then went to the University Museum, but were
rather disappointed with it on the whole. The skeleton
of the Mammoth, a perfect one and very fine, was the
principal attraction. We saw some good Kussian and
Siberian mammals and birds— and one Great Auk.

Next we visited the Zoological Gardens, which were
very poor ; a fine Aurochs — or European Bison — and some
Elk and Keindeer were the principal objects of interest.

June 7.

Friday, the 7th of June, was also very hot. First, with
our commissionaire, we went to the custom-house, where
we were detained all the forenoon, and had to pay
eighteen roubles (£2 10s.) for duty on my gun and case,
etc. — charged by weight 37 Ibs. (1 pood). Then we got a
few small articles we wanted, and called ' on 'Change ' for
M. Gromme.

We heard from him of a German naturalist who goes
to Archangel to-morrow, and whom we hope to accom-
pany. We now settled to get off by the steamer
to-morrow at one o'clock. We had still our passports to
show to the police (who certify we are quiet and unoffend-
ing), and then our ' Paderoshna,' or travelling papers
for securing post-horses, which we are promised for
to-morrow at eleven o'clock.

HO TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

In the evening we went inside the large church (St.
Isaak's), and saw eleven malachite columns, each of which
cost £10,000, magnificent diamonds, and frettings of
silver and gold.

June 8.

Saturday, the 8th of June, a very hot day, we left
St. Petersbourg without regret at 1 p.m., on board the
Alexander. We could not find the German naturalist, but
several people on board spoke English and were very civil,
especially two naval officers, and a young Pole, Stanislas
Waselewski, fourteen years of age, who knows three
languages. His mother was a Miss Clarke, daughter of
Shergold's partner. So far we get on swimmingly.

The country is dull, but Lake Ladoga is like the open
sea, no land visible to the north-east, giving all the
pleasures of a sail without the disagreeables, except that
we had to wait nearly two hours for dinner after order-
ing it.

We saw a Gull which may have been Larus cacliin-
nans.

We slept on deck comfortably, the night being fine and
warm.

June 9.

Sunday, the 9th of June, was a fine very hot day. We
arrived at Novaja Ladoga about 3 a.m., where the Pole
left us, giving us messages to Shergold and others whom
he knew in Archangel. We now sailed up the Swir Eiver
which connects Lakes Ladoga and Onega, a fine deep,
broad river.

We discovered the German naturalist by seeing him
closely scrutinising a horse-fly. He speaks no Euss
however. His name is Herr Jacobi, of Frankfort, and
he is collecting for the Museum. He goes to Archangel,
and thence, if he can get a vessel, to Spitsbergen, and
perhaps Novaja Zemlya, in search of plants and insects.

ARCHANGEL 141

During the day we saw Little Gulls, Divers, Ducks,
etc. We sailed all day up the Swir Kiver, taking a pilot
on board at the foot of the rapids. The scenery is level,
marshy, or wooded, and extremely monotonous and
uninteresting.

We reached Wosnasenja, on Lake Onega, about
10 p.m. After a gabble with the ferrymen, and by the
extremely obliging aid of the two Russian naval officers,
we got a boat across to where the Drishkott (Steam-
canal boat) starts on the Onega canal for Weitegra
(75 versts).

Here we bought some beer, bread, etc., for our canal
passage, as it takes thirteen hours to Weitegra. The
Drishkott started at twelve midnight, sailing through
extensive marshes.

Herr Jacobi placed himself very helplessly in Alston's
hands, and instead of his taking care of us, we in great
measure had to take care of him.

June 10.

Monday, the 10th of June, was cooler. We had slept
well. We had a small bunk, 7 feet by 6. Mosquitoes
were biting, so we had to put on veils and gloves. I got
bitten yesterday on both hands, and they swelled up like
baked rolls.

We sailed along the Onega Canal drawn by two horses.
In the great marsh we were lucky in seeing two Cranes
(in co it a) within a couple of hundred yards of the canal
bank. W"e also saw a Scarlet Finch.

The Drishkott, or canal-boat, was crowded on deck with
Eussians, who slept like herrings in a barrel, close to one
another, leaving scarcely an inch of deck uncovered.
They gambled for copecks at some game with cards.

We arrived at 4 o'clock p.m. at Weitegra, which is the
place where Meves' son was laid up last year, had some

142 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

dinner, and at 6 p.m. proceeded in a tarantasse, or country
cart for Kargopol.

We parted at Weitegra from Herr Jacobi, who had
forgotten to have his passport vise, and had no pade-
roshna. He turned up at Archangel more than a week
after we did.

At Weitegra, a Russian gentleman who spoke French
and a little English was good enough to help us.

During our first stage on the tarantasse we experienced
considerable anxiety as to how we should be able to
stand that style of travelling; but later we got accus-
tomed to the jolting, and even in a measure to the
confinement, and slept now and then. The want of
room for one's legs was the worst part of it. The
following are the stages and distances we travelled to-
day, when we slept part of the way :

1. 25 versts — 9 o'clock.

2. 24 versts — 12 midnight.

June 11.

During Tuesday, the llth of June — a cooler day — we
drove on through the same kind of level and forest-clad
country, not interesting. We got nothing to eat but
bread and milk and eggs and the cheese we had with us.

We arrived at Kargopol at 11.30 p.m., where we had
some difficulty in making people understand our wants,
but at last succeeded. We were very sleepy, but not done
up as one might have expected, having travelled 225
versts (147 English miles) ' straight on end ' !

The stages from Weitegra to Kargopol were: —

1st 25 versts 9 p.m. 10th June.

2nd 24 „ 12 p.m.

3rd 26 ,, 3.30 a.m. llth June.

4th 25 7 a.m.

ARCHANGEL 143

5th

21

versts

10

a.

m. llth

June.

6th

28

j»

2

p.m. ,

i

7th

18

> >

4

P-

m. ,

,

8th

20

»>

7

P-

in. ,

>

9th

16

> j

9

P-

m. ,

f

10th

22

»

11

.30 p

.m. s

«

225 versts = 147 miles in 27 J hours.

June 12.

Wednesday, the 12th of June — a cold day — we had
breakfast, which was good, and we bought some bread
and meat, etc., for our journey.

Kargopol is a town of some size, situated on a lake, a
large expanse of water.

We did not leave Kargopol till 11.30 a.m. Before
leaving we had an amusing conversation with a Kussian
who came into our room. He insisted on speaking long
sentences in Kuss, which we in vain told him we did not
understand. At last, rather than let him have all the
talking to himself, I spouted Marcellus' speech, and
put great emphasis into —

* You block ! you stone ! you worse than senseless thing !
Oh, you hard heart ! you cruel man of Kargopol ! '

This had the desired effect, as he shook his head slowly,
and then — shortly afterwards withdrew.

Driving from Kargopol we met numerous men and
women, each carrying a knapsack and staff, who we
concluded were pilgrims returning from Solovetsk Shrine
in the White Sea. It was very cold, and we had bad
horses and a bad road.

On the second stage we were much more comfortable,
getting a cushion from the driver. All the common

144 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

people travelling in Kussia carry one or more cushions
or pillows — padoshka.

At the third station we crossed a ferry on the Onega
River, horses, cart, and all, and on the opposite side
drove up a steep bank at an angle of about 35 degrees.

We saw several specimens of the Eed-footed Falcon
(Erythropus vespertinus of Lilljeborg's List), also — late
in the evening— three or four Hares, very dark coloured.

During the fourth stage, 8.30 to 12 p.m., there was a
very cold north wind, and we had to put on under-
flannels and all our wraps, a goodly number.

June 13.

It was now Thursday, the 13th of June, when the fifth
stage was begun. It was still very cold. Alston slept
well, but I could not, having a nasty fit of heartburn.

We saw tents or huts for shepherds or field-labourers,
made like those in use among North American Indians —
of conical shape with hole at top.

Ferry.

The sixth stage I still had no sleep — cold.

During the seventh stage we entered a great forest of
pine, fir, birch, larch, etc., which lasted for nearly 100
versts (75 miles), with only one or two little clearings at
the stations. Here the road was abominable, fright-
fully rough, being made of rotten logs and pitfalls
vbetween. The carts were also wretched things with
hind wheels just under our heads. Our time was
occupied in looking out for the deep ruts and holes. I
suffered a great deal at this time from stitches in my
side.

The eighth stage was worse even than the last, and
positively painful to endure.

The ninth stage the boy drove at full gallop over the

ARCHANGEL 145

rough roads, and I knelt on the cushions which we had
bought from the driver on the second stage, and held on
like grim death. We told him to drive fast, and promised
20 copecks = (6 jd.) to do so, as we hoped to catch a
steamer on the Dvina at Sjukia. We did the twenty-one
miles in two and a half hours. The driver encourages
his horses and comparatively seldom uses the whip, save
to wave it in circles round his head. There was sufficient
excitement in this wild gallop to give an interest to the
otherwise monotonous character of the road.

On the tenth stage the road was better, but here and
there we had some ' big jumps ' over logs of wood laid
'corduroy' fashion, in the wet parts.

June 14.

On the eleventh stage, which brought us to Friday, the
14th of June, having some hours to spare, we slept at
Sjukia for three hours or so.

The twelfth stage began at Sjukia at 9 a.m., when we
were ferried across the Dvina, a noble stream at least a
mile wide. During our morning's drive we saw Northern
Jays, Woodpeckers, Fieldfares, Bramblings, etc. At the
other side of the Dvina we had to wait for the steamboat
(parakhot).

The following are the stages and distances from
Kargopol to Sjukia : —

1st 27 versts. Station at 2.30 p.m. June 12th.

2nd 24 „ „ 5.0 p.m.

3rd 26 „ „ 8.30p.m.

4th 21 „ „ 12.0 p.m.

5th 23 „ „ 3.30 a.m. June 13th.

6th 26 - „ „ 6.30 a.m.

7th 23 „ „ 30.45 a.m.

8th 24 ,, „ 3.0 p.m.
VOL. I. II

146 TRA VELS OF A NA TURALIST

9th 21 versts. Station at 8.45 p.m. June 13th.

10th 19 „ „ 11.15 p.m.

llth 24 „ „ 3.13 a.m. June 14th.

12th 19 „ „ 9.0 a.m.

277 versts, or 187 miles, in 45J hours.

While waiting — twelve hours — at Sjukia we took out
the gun, and shot and skinned three birds, Garden
Warbler, Whinchat, and Hooded Crow.

We saw two or three birds which we took to be Pine
Grosbeaks, but they were so shy that we could not get a
right sight of them.

We also bought a Sterlet for 30 copecks, and Alston
skinned it. Sterlets first entered the Dvina about 1861,
through the canal from the Volga.

We got on board the steamer about 10 p.m. The
captain, a German, who speaks a little English, and an
Irishman who was on board named Smith, manager of a
flax-mill up the river, gave us much information.

The steamer is flat-bottomed, with two great barges
lashed one on each side. We got a small cabin for two,
and slept well.

June 15.

Saturday, the 15th of June, a warm day, we arrived at
Archangel about 1.30 p.m. We had passed Cholmogory
during the night.

We had quite a couple of hundred pilgrims on board
on their way to Solovetsk. They sleep like herrings in
a barrel, packed close side by side. Fancy the insect
life !

The scenery of the Dvina is not interesting.

On landing we went to the Tarapof (inn, or rather,
lodging-house), had some lunch, and then called upon
Mr. Shergold, We shall never be able to forget this

ARCHANGEL 147

gentleman's kindness. He has already secured us most
excellent lodgings — three rooms — at Madame Nathalie
Andrevna Leitzoff's, at a rate for board and lodging of
Ks.1.50 (4s. 3d.) each per diem.

He has also employed a collector for us who formerly
worked for Heinke and Meves, and already has for us
about a hundred and fifty eggs, which we took to the
inn at night. They are twenty-one Gulls, eight Tem-
minck's Stints, fifty-one Terek Sandpipers and Ducks
(Long-tailed?), which last, however, we could not be
sure of at the time, Oyster-catchers, Curlew, Fieldfares.
Mr. Shergold also undertook to manage all about a boat,
men, etc., for us, gave us a good chart of the delta, and
altogether overwhelmed us with kindnesses. Later, when
Mr. Birse came in, these two gentlemen together discussed
every matter which they could think of for our comfort and
assistance. We also called at the house of a naturalist,
Herr Heinrichs, where we saw many good things. Next
day we were introduced to a young fellow, brother-in-law
to Mr. Birse, by name Ernst Craemers, who can speak
English, and will accompany us to the Outer Islands.

June 17.

On Monday, the 17th, Ernst brought in several nests
of common birds, such as Spotted Flycatchers, White
Wagtails, Redstarts, Fieldfares, Chaffinches, Redpolls.
In the evening, about eight o'clock, we had a trial trip
among the nearer islands of the delta in Mr. Birse's boat,
accompanied by himself and by Karl and Ernst Craemers.
Midnight found us among the islands, and we did not
return till 6 a.m. on the 18th.

June 18.

On the 18th we sailed or rowed about among the
islands, landing on one and then another. I killed a

148 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

couple of Gulls, also (later in the morning) one Terek
Sandpiper, Grey-headed Wagtail, Reed Bunting, etc.,
and Alston killed a Little Bunting and took the young
of the Hooded Crow.

On one island we landed to make tea and cook potatoes.
The fire was simply laid with birch-bark and wood, and
the tea and potatoes were ready in a very short time.
On this island we took some eggs of Sand Martin, and
caught two or three birds. The cruise in and out among
the islands was about fifteen miles. On our return, at
about 6 a.m., we had a half-hour's sleep, and then with
Mr. Birse went to the market, which is held every Tues-
day. We bought four Ruffs, a Shoveller Drake, a Curlew
Sandpiper, and two Garganeys for the small sum of
50 copecks, Birse bargaining for us most successfully.

The fish market also was interesting. Sterlet, Bream,
Petchora Salmon (quite white), and various other kinds
of fish.

We did not go out for the rest of the day, but worked
hard at skinning, in which we were helped by our two
peasants when they came in from egg-collecting. They
complained that it is rather late in the season now.
With the eggs they brought in three Red- throated
Divers, Shoveller, Wigeon, and Pintails.

We engaged a Polish exile, named Ignati Nartziso-
vitch Qublitski Piottuch, to shoot and skin for us while
we are here for 30 roubles a month. Mr. Shergold
assisted us in hiring men. We engaged Nicholai Gre-
gorovitch at 2 roubles a day, Jacob Gregorovitch at
\\ roubles, and a third man at 1 rouble, to do whatever
we need — working the boat, collecting, skinning, etc.

June 19.

Wednesday, the 19th, was spent working in the house
all day, instructing Piottuch in skinning.

ARCHANGEL 149

June 20.

On Thursday, the 20th, after making all needful pre-
parations, we started on our first trip about 7 p.m., the
party consisting of Alston and myself, Ernst Craemers,
Piottuch, and the three peasants.

On the first island we landed on — Vosnusainski — we
found Terek Sandpipers in a marshy wood, constantly
perching on the trees, which we were hardly prepared
for. Three were shot, and a nest of four young ones
was found. We then had tea, Nicholai's wife bringing
out samovar and a small table.

June 21.

About midnight on the 21st we proceeded down among
the islands, skinning the birds in the boat as we went,
for which purpose we had a couple of boards conveniently
placed across the thwarts. About half-past four we
landed on a large, bare, marshy island, heather-clad
and covered with reindeer-moss, called Tinevati Ostrov.
Here we found that Great Black-backed Gulls, Bed- and
Black-throated Divers were breeding, and Nicholai
brought us a nest of four Temminck's Stints.

We made a fire, had more tea, and slept for an hour
or so rolled up in our fur coats and waterproof sheets.
' Kumarei ' (Mosquitos) were very unendurable.

Waking up about 8 a.m. we resumed our voyage, and
at ten we landed two of our men on an island, Borke
Ostrov, we ourselves proceeding up a long, narrow
creek about 10 versts in length ; but we had to wait five
or six hours for the tide, and stuck fast in the mud
several times, the which accidents and delays told upon
our tempers !

When we again picked up our men they had shot a
couple of Teal, two Great Grey Shrikes, Green Sandpipers,
etc. The wind now became fresh.

150 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

We next came to a large flat island covered with grass,
called (along with four others) Ostrov Teelanik (also
called Tscheike Ostrov), on which we landed. ' Our
Savage' (Nicholai) took us a long, level stalk on hands
and knees up to a bunch of Wigeon, at which we fired,
dropping four. Then round the shore of the island,
which is only raised about three or four feet above the
level of the sea, we saw many Temminck's Stints and
Kuffs. The Stints, as Alston noted, are. very pretty birds
as they hang hovering in the air, uttering a pleasing,
twittering note. The ' Savage ' brought in a good
specimen of the Little Stint, a female, in full breeding
plumage. He declares that this bird breeds on the delta,
that its eggs are a trifle smaller than those of Temminck's
Stint, and are laid among grass instead of on sandy
ground. We did not find any nests, nor did we see any
more of the birds. We intend to have a close search for
the nest, as it has not yet been taken in Europe, or,
indeed, anywhere. I also found a nest of four Terek
Sandpipers, and shot the bird/ These eggs are more
like those of the Common Sandpiper than any we have
as yet.

The wind still kept fresh as we ran down to shelter in
an old log hut on Teelanik Ostrov, which we soon made
comfortable, as we purpose remaining here for some days
to work the islands round about.

June 22.

On Saturday morning, the 22nd of June, I went out with
Nicholai and shot a couple of Temminck's Stints, the
others staying in to skin. About three in the afternoon
we started for Goletz. On the way we again landed on
Tscheike Island, where I shot two Kuffs and Alston three
fine Grey Plovers in full summer dress. ' ' The Savage,'
however, says that they do not breed here. A hen

ARCHANGEL 151

Harrier rose within beautiful range whilst we were after
the Plovers.

About 6 p.m. we arrived at Goletz. We went along
the shore, finding two Ducks' nests and eggs, which we
left for the present. We found nests and eggs of Arctic
Terns, one with three eggs, some with slight nests, and
some without. We also found three nests of Terek
Sandpipers, one of a Gull, and one nest of five Mealy
Eedpoll. We shot a Stint and three of the Gulls. We
made a big fire on the sand amongst the bent grass, and
were very comfortable at tea. We then turned in and
slept well in a log hut.

Goletz is a level island, sandy around its edges, covered
with bent, and a low ridge of sand runs all along the
coast-line. The interior is marshy, with long reeds
interspersed with large spaces of red-coloured grass, upon
which a flock of Grey Geese were feeding, and innumer-
able ducks rose out of the reed-beds. More inland and
westward wood begins, but this is a part we must leave
for another trip. Koombush Ostrov and other islands in
the vicinity are all heavily wooded.

June 23.

On Sunday, the 23rd of June, Piottuch took me to a
RufFs nest, which was simply a hollow in the sand
amongst long grass lined with finer grass. Temminck's
Stints were numerous around, and constantly rising in
the air or hovering, with raised wings, about 15 feet
from the ground. We also found the nest of Ringed
Plover,

On rising this morning I went to the Ducks' nests,
but the birds were not on. I shot, however, a Shoveller
from another nest of eight, in which nest was no down.
The other two nests we took, down and all, and have little
doubt they were Pintails.

152 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Returning in the boat past the island of Kashieminski,
we saw a fine Sea-Eagle perched on top of a bare pine-
tree. On this island there are Willow Grouse.

"We arrived at the hut on Tscheike Ostrov, blew our eggs,
and started again about 2 p.m. The tide being out, the
boat had to be shoved over the mud about thirty yards,
and Nicholai carried us on his back into it afterwards.
He said in his curious broken ' harbour ' English that I
was 'four pood' (i.e., four times 36 Ibs. avoirdupois,
144 Ibs.).

With a gentle breeze we sailed all the way to Archangel,
and when within 15 versts we landed on Cholopyain
Ostrov, where the savage said the Little Gulls had been,
but none were to be seen. We had a great hunt after
young Ducks, Shovellers, and Pintails. We secured a
female of each, with four young Shovellers and six young
Pintails, all of which were at once skinned. We reached
Archangel about 7 p.m.

June 24.
On the 24th we were occupied indoors, skinning, etc.

June 25.

On the 25th, being Tuesday, we were again at the
market, but got no birds, as the peasants are now busy
with farm work. We saw Grey Lag Geese with the
left wing cut off at the first joint, which the market
woman said was always done when they were shot, but
she either could not or would not give any reason for its
being done, whether from superstitious motives or not.
The cut wings are used as brushes by the villagers.

About 7.30 in the evening we started for our second
trip, the party being the same as on the first. Ernst got
a gun at a village called Maimux, and then we sailed to
the extreme point of Goletz, sleeping on the way.

ARCHANGEL 153

June 26.

On Wednesday, the 26th of June, we made the eastern
end of Goletz about 4 a.m., and had to lie-to for an hour,
waiting for deep water, before we could land, but
Nicholai waded half a verst to shore and lighted a
fire. After we had breakfasted we started for the other
end of the island through the pine-woods. From the
time we landed to the time we left Goletz — nine hours
afterwards — we suffered greatly from the mosquitoes, and
as we had left our veils in the boat we were nearly
driven wild. At first we had good luck. We saw a flock
of a dozen or more Black- throated Divers. Alston shot a
male Hobby, and soon afterwards found the nest — an
old Hooded Crow's — lined partly wTith the bird's own
feathers. We took the three pale eggs, which were
hard set. The female bird got off without a shot. Soon
after we fell in with a small flock of WaxwTings — about
half a dozen — of which Piottuch shot two, both females,
with the breast pretty bare, but the eggs not much
developed.

We walked about seven verst s to the bare eastern end,
where we slept on Saturday night, finding two nests of
Kuff, with one and four eggs respectively. We got a
Teal's nest with nine, and I shot a female Willow Grouse,
but we could not find either nest or young. We
returned to the boat, which we reached at 4 p.m. ; then
after a couple of hours' sleep we had dinner of salt cod,
potatoes, and tea, and then sailed to Koombush Ostrov,
which we reached about 11.30 p.m., when Alston and I
bathed.

Nicholai showed us some feats of strength. He lifted
with his little finger from the floor of the hut on to the
seat, a stone tied with rope which would w^eigh 2J poods
(about 72 lbs.)« He could also lift 10 pood (360 Ibs.) with
his hand and put it on the back of his neck.

154 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

June 27.

At 2 a.m. on the 27th, Piottuch brought in two Red-
throated Divers, from one of which we afterwards took a
perfect egg. He had also fired at and struck a Crane.

On the 27th of June, Thursday, Nicholai and Piottuch
started for the far end of the island (Koombush), intending
to remain there all night if necessary. The rest skinned
all the forenoon and then went short trips into the woods.
Alston got two Little Buntings, and I two Wood Sand-
pipers, one Willow Warbler, one Ked-throated Pipit, a
species which Meves does not seem to have met with here.
We also caught a young Grey-headed Wagtail.

Our stock of drinking-water ran out, and there being
none near us, we sent two of the men in the boat up the
river for a fresh supply, which it took them two and a half
hours to bring. We cooked our own dinner, split and
fried Willow Grouse and tea, the former pretty well
burnt ! After dinner Ernst Craemers made a big bonfire
with an old tar-barrel.

He told us that, in spring five years ago, the north wind
drove the water from the Arctic Sea into the White Sea,
dammed back the river Dvina, flooded all the lower part
of the peasants' houses in the villages on the delta, and a
famine ensued, as they could not sow their grain or plant
potatoes till June.

Our friend Piottuch is a great bear-hunter, and around
Mezen has killed at least twenty bears (been in at the
death of twenty), and Ernst thinks quite thirty.

Koombush is a sandy island, covered for some distance
inland with low scrub of birch and alder, frequented by
great numbers of Grey-headed and White Wagtails,
Willow Warblers, Mealy Redpolls, and it was here that
we met with the Red-throated Pipit for the first time.

Piottuch and Nicholai returned, having had no luck.
They saw several Cranes and found an empty nest, and

ARCHANGEL 155

believe that the eggs or young had been eaten by the foxes
which abound here. Alston and I had already seen lots of
Cranes' footprints in the marshes.

At midnight, the 27th-28th of June, we started for Laidi
Ostrov.

June 28.

About 1.30 p.m. on Friday, the 28th of June, we reached
Laidi Ostrov, having left Koombush an hour before with
a nice fresh breeze. On landing we had a great chase
after Black Vipers amongst some old logs and log houses,
capturing two very fine specimens, Piottuch slipping a
forked stick across the back of their necks. We consigned
them to a big jar of vodka, along with a Lamprey, a
Lizard, and a small fish. We also found a dead and
decayed A rvicola raticeps, of which Alston preserved the
skull, and on the shore the bones of a cetacean, sternum
and vertebrae, probably of bottle-nosed whale, and also of
a porpoise.

Having eight hours to wait here for deep enough water
we went off into the woods in different directions, Alston
with Piottuch, and I with Nicholai. Alston had but poor
success, shooting only a Eustic Bunting, which was, how-
ever, our first example of the species. Piottuch got three
Willow Grouse, a Common Crossbill, a Yellow Wagtail,
and a young Redpoll. I had an eight-mile walk, and
brought in a Willow Grouse, a Pintail with down and
three eggs, two Waxwings, three Eedpoles, and a young
Redstart. Piottuch cooked us a capital dinner of duck and
grouse, and while we were eating it a Short-eared Owl
flew over us, which Nicholai marked down and killed
when it alighted further on the shore.

Laidi Ostrov lies parallel with Goletz Ostrov, and is
covered with pine and underwood, and at low water is
connected with Goletz. Here and there, as upon Goletz
and Koombush, long shallow marshes, covered with

156 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

cotton-grass and long reed, intersect the forest at regular
intervals. A small sour red berry (cranberry) grows in
these marshes, and is good for food, Nicholai and I par-
taking of them plentifully.

We left Laidi Ostrov about 9 p.m. and sailed for
Tscheike Ostrov to search again for the Stints, which we
had seen so many of on our last trip. We arrived there at
night, and rigged up a tent with the boat-sail, our ground
sheet, etc., and had ' tchai.'

June 29.

On Saturday, the 29th of June, Nicholai having found
two nests (or 'two stook,' as he calls everything), each
of four eggs, of the Stint. Alston and I took our guns
and went to shoot the birds so as to make sure that there
were only Temminck's Stints breeding here. I shot two
birds and Alston one, all from the nests. Two of them
we proved to be males. We then found four other nests,
each with four eggs, and were able in every case to
identify the birds as Temminck's Stints. We have, there-
fore, come to the conclusion that no Little Stints breed
here, although one specimen was obtained on a former
occasion. Our ammunition was now nearly done, and as one
of our party (Ernst Craemers) was suffering badly from
toothache, we decided to run for Archangel, which we
reached about six or seven o'clock, after starting from the
island about 12 noon.

June 30.

On Sunday, the 30th of June, the shoemaker brought us
the two pairs of long boots which we ordered on Monday
last. They cost us 15 roubles a pair, equivalent to
37s. 2d., and are cheap. Mr. Birse sent round also a
huge packing-case for our spoils, about 4J feet long by 2J
wide by 2J deep, which should hold some hundreds of
birds.

Yesterday evening it rained heavily, but to-day again it

ARCHANGEL 157

is lovely weather. Our luggage has not yet come from
the Custom House.

In the afternoon we went with Mr. and Mrs. Birse
and a Kussian friend to the Museum, with which we
were very favourably impressed. It contained a very fair
collection of birds, all of which we were assured had
been killed in the Government of Archangel, but unfor-
tunately there were no exact localities or dates. The
collection we found very well worth a visit, and Mr.
Birse promised to introduce us to the manager, wTho is a
good ornithologist, and from whom we hope to get more
information about some of the specimens.
Of mammals, Alston noted —

(Vespertilio?) Bat.

(Putorius ermineus) Stoat.

(Putorius luteola).

(Putorius putorius) Polecat.

(Vulpes lagopus) Fox.

(Gulo borealis) Glutton.

(Lynx borealis) Lynx.

(Pet. volans).

(Sciurus vulgaris) Squirrel.

Of birds, the most remarkable to us wras a large Godwit,
labelled 'melanura,' but it seemed to us too big for that
species. Its measurements were — Tarsus, 3T8^ ; tibia,
nearly 2T80- ; middle toe, 2J ; bill, 4| ; wing, carpal joint to

tip, 9rV-l.

We also noted some of the most interesting of the other
birds, and before we left Archangel we obtained a list,
which is given as an appendix.

July 1.

On the 1st of July, Monday, we at last got our luggage,
which had been detained in the blessed (?) Custom House
since the 19th of June. Some of the customs of this
country are certainly a nuisance. We went to the German

158 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Club, where we were introduced by Mr. Rollo. We there
met Herr Jacobi, who, with many grimaces, contortions,
twists, and signs, described his visit to Solovetsk, whence
he returned on Sunday.

At 5 p.m., Nicholai and Piottuch returned from a short
expedition. They had started at 2 a.m. for the woods
behind the town, and had walked about 40 versts (?).
The birds they brought in were good. There were two
Warblers and a young Bunting we could not make out,
also three Little Buntings and a young Bluethroat, a
lovely specimen, besides a number of commoner birds.
These were at once skinned, labelled, and catalogued,
bringing our total number up to 134.

July 2.

The 2nd of July, Tuesday, we occupied in unpacking
our luggage and making preparations for our further ex-
peditions. We decided to take boat down the Kiver Dvina,
past the mouth of the Urus River, and on to the Ismitchi
Eiver, up which we intend to proceed about 14 versts, to a
village which we have to walk to from the boat, about
five miles. There we purpose taking lodgings for a day
or two to work the neighbourhood.

Here, we are told, immense numbers of Owls are to be
found in autumn, and we have good chance of getting
some now also, besides plenty of small birds, and also
Eaibchiks, or Hazel Grouse, which we want ' muchly.'

July 3.

On Wednesday, the 3rd of July, Ernst Craemers' tooth-
ache being no better, his brother Carl accompanied us
this trip, and we started with two men only — Nicholai
and Jacof — about ten o'clock this morning, for the Ijma
River and village down the eastern branch of the Dvina.

It was about 6 o'clock p.m. that we entered the mouth

ARCHANGEL 159

of the Ijma, the men having rowed all the way, the wind
being right ahead. The distance from Archangel to
where we landed on the Ijma Keaka is 24 versts. We
shot specimens, and saw many others, of the Common
Sandpiper — the first we have seen on the Dvina. [Also
seen at Suja, up the river.] They are very common on
the Ijma.

We had stopped at Talaga village, on the Dvina, about
halfway on our journey, where we obtained some milk
and had our dinner. We promised copecks to boys to
gather eggs, or find nests and show them to us on our
return in three or four days' time.

We arrived about 9 o'clock p.m. at the point on the
Ijma where we were to leave the boat. Whilst a man
went to the village — five versts — for a horse and cart, we
boiled water, and had ' tchai ' and dinner.

Large quantities of firewood, cut in pieces about one
and half feet long, were floating down stream or
stacked along the banks, and many men, women, and
children were working at splitting and setting them
afloat. Where we landed was an encampment of the
people from the village, and a road leads from here to
the village. We left the encampment about 10.30 p.m.

On the way we captured young Wild Ducks. We
heard ' whit, whit, whit,' in the marshes, and from the
description we received of the bird we concluded it was
the Spotted Crake. This sound we had previously heard
all along the banks of the Onega Canal and the Swir
Reaka. Piottuch saw one bird and described it as a
' poulet au 1'eau.' (His French is no better than our
own, but we get on fairly well.)

July 4.

It was about two o'clock in the morning of the 4th of
July when we arrived at Ijma village. After an hour's

i6o TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

rest Alston and I took our stick-guns and repaired to the
woods. After three hours' ' chasse ' Alston brought in four
or five Little Buntings, and I the same number of that
species, also one Eustic Bunting (our second example),
one Garden Warbler, one young Double or Great Snipe,
and a Warbler similar to or the same as our Willow
Warbler. We heard the low sweet warble of the Little
Bunting, and also its sharp call-note. I shot a male, and
the female came within three yards of me, flying so close
round that for quite half an hour I could not shoot for
fear of spoiling it. I saw also two Great Spotted or Pied
Woodpeckers, fired at them, but missed, and thereafter I
increased my charge of powder.

A hunter, named Vassili (= William), brought in
young Willow Grouse (Kouropatki) , young Capercaillie,
and Black-game, and a basket of game. We bought the
young birds, or ' youngish/ as Nicholai calls them, in his
' harbour English,' but none of the others. We engaged
Vassili at a rouble a day as long so we remain here.
This is evidently a good locality for small birds.

Nicholai killed a nice Pike in the river with a stone,
and shot a male Bullfinch of the large race.

For the rest of the day, all of us — including Carl — were
occupied skinning, and we added 25 to our previous list
of 135 before six o'clock.

At 10.30 p.m. we started for Lake Ijma, a distance of
eight versts, through great forest much frequented by
Bears. Soon after we started I shot a young Hare. We
walked very fast all the way, doing the eight versts —
equivalent to six miles English — in an hour and a half.

When close to the lake, where there is a small village
inhabited by members of a religious sect called ' Old
Believers ' (see Hepworth Dixon's ' Free Kussia '),
Piottuch pointing forward in a state of great excitement
said, ' Plus vit, monsieur, plus vit ! ' And Carl, who was

8 I

si

o

co *S,

ARCHANGEL 161

just behind him said, ' a bear.' Piottuch was now
rapidly loading his rifle, but just as I was popping in
ball-cartridges Piottuch said, ' Nan, non, c'est un cheval,'
and we had a rare laugh over our first adventure with a
bear. The brown hide of the horse seen through the
bushes ahead in the uncertain midnight light might
certainly have been taken by any one for any large wild
animal ; but Alston and I confessed to a feeling of thank-
fulness that the mistake was made by an experienced
bear-hunter — as Piottuch undoubtedly is — and not by
either of ourselves. Otherwise we should never have
heard the last of it at the club during our stay in Arch-
angel. The dogs — Plutka and Beilka, i.e., black and
white — which were on ahead of us, were quite uncon-
cerned, and just as Carl said 'bear,' I certainly felt
doubtful when I saw the dogs so indifferent, as the night
breeze was blowing directly in our faces.

Arriving at the village of the Old Believers, we gained
admission to the best-looking of the farmhouses, and after
a frugal meal retired to sleep on the floor opposite the oven.

One of the blessings in the dwellings of the Old
Believers is that their religion requires them to be very
clean. We were requested not to smoke in the house,
or to drink spirits out of any of their vessels. Beyond
this we did not observe any peculiarities, except that they
had no samovar, or tea — as tea-drinking, even, is not
permitted to them.

A very little old woman was sole proprietress of the
house, and seemed well-to-do. She was also extremely
active on her pins (needles they looked more like), and
made her only eye do quite the duty of two. Piottuch
described her as ' tres petite, tres vieille, mais pas
tres belle.' We slept for about seven hours. Previous
to this we had only slept four hours out of forty. During
our walk it had rained, and it still rained heavily.

VOL. I. 12

162 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

July 5.

The 5th of July, Friday, was showery. We were out
all day, starting about 10 a.m., tramping through the
forest which surrounds Ijma Ozero (Lake Ijrna), and
Nicholai rowed a boat round, keeping alongside our line
of march. We had good sport.

Though in search of Hazel Grouse — Raibchik — not
one did we see, but we got better birds. First Alston
shot a Three-toed Woodpecker, and then Piottuch and
Carl Craemers got three fine Northern or Siberian Jays.
We were dreadfully punished by mosquitoes, but what we
shot fully rewarded us. Alston and I each shot a Northern
Jay, while I also obtained a Buzzard, a Willow Grouse
(Kouropatki), and a Rustic Bunting. Further round the
lake Alston and Nicholai each shot a fine male Waxwing.
We failed to find the nests, though we think there can
be little doubt that they breed here. Nicholai also shot a
female Wigeon and caught a young one, and Piottuch
shot two Little Buntings.

Alston, in his diary, noted that the Northern Jays are
very lively birds, queer-looking, with their big bushy
heads and fluffy plumage, which makes them seem much
larger than they really are.

Most of the birds were in the more open marshy parts
of the woods.

At the head of the lake, and about a hundred yards from
its shore, was an Osprey's nest, which we visited. It
was an immense structure on the very top of a huge larch-
tree, which could not be climbed without irons, if even
then. The old birds were absent, but Vassili was sure
that it was inhabited, although there was not much
appearance of this, there being no remains of food round
the base of the tree. It has been regularly inhabited, as
Vassili assures us, for the last ten years, and the birds
were seen at the spot about a month ago.

ARCHANGEL 163

We returned across the lake to the village, and after
tea we started back for Ijma village. Carl and I walked
the eight versts in an hour and a quarter, or 1 hour
20 minutes ; the others came in half an hour after us.

July 6.

On Saturday, the 6th of July, we skinned, adding 25
skins to our list, including young Black Game, etc.,
brought in by Vassili. We paid for our lodgings, 23
bowls of milk, use of samovar, etc., two roubles; then
packed and walked back to the boat, six versts. We
made ' tchai ' and started again, drinking it in the boat.

We shot a Terek Sandpiper (Kuleek) and obtained two
young ones larger than the last ones we got ; also two
fine Kedpolls were brought in by Piottuch and Carl
during our walk to the boat. In four hours we reached
Talaga, where we propose remaining twelve hours.
Nicholai and Jacof returned to the landing-stage at Ijma,
where Alston found he had left his big knife (one made
by Wilkinson, of London). They expect to return in ten
hours. At Talaga we found good quarters, and Piottuch
set about cooking at once.

July 7.

On Sunday, the 7th of July, while Alston, Carl, and I
slept for five hours, Piottuch went out, coming in with a
Little Bunting, two Wood Sandpipers, and two young
ones, two 'flapper' Wild Ducks, one Terek Sandpiper,
and one Northern Marsh Tit.

Besides the Wood Sandpipers, Piottuch got five young
Arvicola ratticeps, seeing the female but failing to secure
her. The young ones were not in a regular burrow, but
in a hole below a root about a span from the surface.

Alston and I then went out, taking different directions,
but nearly all the luck fell to me. Between the village and
the mouth of a backwater, or kuria, I killed a female

164 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Scarlet Finch (our first), two pipits (? sp.) and a Spotted
Flycatcher.

I then put a female Yellow-breasted Bunting off her
nest, but could not at first find the latter. I shot the male
and watched. Presently the female went on, after flying
round and lighting on the tops of a broad-leaved dockweed,
which was growing in great abundance round. After a
short search I found the nest and then shot the female
bird. The nest contained five eggs, and was under a large
plant of dockweed on the ground, on a dry raised bank in
a marshy opening in an alder thicket, close to the mouth
of a kuria, or creek, near the village of Talaga on the
Dvina. The eggs were easily blown, but were slightly
incubated. These birds were the only pair seen here.

We came in and skinned, and waited for the men's
return. They did not get back till six o'clock, or there-
abouts, having been delayed both by the wood-floating in
the river and by the difficulty of getting back the knife,
which a man had seen Alston lay down, and had meant to
keep. Nicholai got it at last by giving a rouble for it, but
the man wrote a paper saying we must send him another
rouble. If he says anything more we shall hand him
over to the police, and have him severely punished for his
impertinence. They also threatened to beat Nicholai if
the rouble were not forthcoming, which we fancy they
would find a tough job ! Besides the knife, he got for
the rouble an egg and nestling of the Common Buzzard.

We set off, and a fair breeze brought us the 15 versts
back to Archangel in about an hour and a half. On
arrival we found a fine Crane (' giraffe') for sale, shot by a
peasant, for which he asked 1 rouble and 20 copecks. We
of course decided to have it.

July 8.

On Monday, the 8th of July, Nicholai made a good job
of the Crane, and Jacof finished all the small birds.

ARCHANGEL 165

A distressing thing happened to-day. Nicholai's dog bit
out the eye of the poor little pet dog belonging to the
house, and the doctor was at once sent for. Piottuch and
Nicholai went out about three o'clock to shoot behind the
town, and it was on their way there that it happened.
It is very annoying and distressing to us» The poor little
beastie, too, is so patient under the pain it must be suffer-
ing, and, as its mistress, Madame Leitzoff, says, as it holds
up one little paw, seems to think itself in fault and to beg
pardon: — ' Pauvre belle petite.' The veterinary surgeon
came, and the eye had to be taken out, which operation
he performed well, though it was an ugly one to look at ;
and very patient the doggie wras under it.

In the evening Mr. Birse went out for a short sail, and
we accompanied him. We landed on Moses Island, and
Alston and I shot with our stick-guns four Terek Sand-
pipers, one of which was young of the year, so that now
we have all the stages.

Piottuch and Nicholai brought in while we were out,
about a score of small birds, the only good ones being
two Pipits of different species (meadow and red-throated?),
four Little Buntings, and a young Redwing, and young
Willow Warbler.

We had a capital supper and a very pleasant evening at
Mr. Birse's, and he gave us some excellent American
tobacco, which he had obtained from a ship's captain for
nothing. So our smoking does not cost us much !

July 9.

On Tuesday, the 9th of July, we went to the market,
where we bought a Hazel Grouse (Raibchik) and three
Sterlets — one to preserve and two to eat. They are, as
Alston remarked, ' verrie goode meate.'

A young fellow, named Hartmann, brought us three
Pine Grosbeaks, alive and quite tame — very handsome

1 66 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

birds. He told us that on the Urus Keaka we can
catch twenty in a day if we take one of these as a
decoy bird.
We worked at home all day, skinning, labelling, etc.

July 10.

On Wednesday, the 10th of July, we also worked at
home, finishing the Crane we began yesterday, and
skeletonising another which has come in. We also
packed traps for our trip to Cholmogory, where we
intend to stay a week or ten days to work the neigh-
bouring country. Mr. Hollo has kindly given us letters
to Cholmogory and to its Governor, from whom we hope
to receive a paper to the same effect as that we have
from the Governor here, which will ensure assistance
from the peasants. We propose to start early to-morrow
morning in our own boat, instead of taking the river
steamboat, should the wind be fair.

July 11.

On Thursday, the llth of July, we left a little after
twelve midnight, and got aboard the steamboat at
1 a.m. There was a marriage party aboard. Our boat
was towed behind, our men steering and sleeping time
about. We were told we should reach Cholmogory
in three or four hours, but it was half-past nine when we
got off the steamboat into our own boat and proceeded in
her up a side branch of the Dvina. We were much
delayed by our men not knowing the channels, and con-
sequently being much bothered with sand-bars, and
having to be constantly poling or wading and pushing.

On the way we twice saw Cranes, first two and then
five, firing at them with bullets without success, as the
range was rather long for smooth-bores.

It was half-past eight at night when we arrived at

ARCHANGEL 167

Cholmogory — a very different time from what we had
been told. We called upon the people to whom we had
letters, gave in our passports, and then had supper.

About 10 o'clock p.m. Carl Craemers and I went out,
crossed the river, and made for a fir- wood about a verst
off. We passed through a thick willow growth into a
park-like country, where many cows were feeding.

In the willow-wood we saw only a nest of young
Wood Sandpipers and a Hare, and in the high fir- wood
Carl found a Redwing's nest with three young and two
eggs. We saw a large raptorial bird, which I took to be
a Black Kite. Its tail was slightly forked, its plumage
dark, its cry like a Buzzard's, but shriller. We could not
find any nest. Then about half a verst further we saw
Divers, Ducks, and heard the ' whit-whit ' in the marshes,
probably the cry of the Spotted Crake.

We recrossed the river, and from the boat shot three
Common Gulls. Then we tried the back of the town —
small alder thickets and pasture-ground — but were not
much more successful, getting only one ' Kuleek ' (Terek
Sandpiper), one Yellow-breasted Bunting, one Garden
Warbler, and a Black-headed Gull.

July 12.

It being now about 3 a.m. on Friday, the 12th of
July, we came in, awakened Alston and Piottuch, and
had our sleep.

About 4 a.m. Piottuch and Alston went out. At first
they could see nothing, but after a time they both —
separately — happened on a great colony of Yellow-
breasted Buntings, of which they brought thirteen home,
besides losing seven or eight in the long grass. They
were all about in some large, damp meadows covered with
a sort of dock, and they constantly perched on the high
stalks of the docks and on the longer grass. There were,

168 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

however, no nests found. They shot a Terek Sandpiper
also, and returned about ten o'clock to breakfast.

The day was spent in skinning ; but a Wheatear and
many Skylarks were seen.

In the evening Alston and I, with Carl, went out
again after Yellow-breasted Buntings, and secured ten
more specimens, including three ' youngish,' and we
found a couple of nests with very young birds.

The ground they frequent consists of hay-fields, about
five acres or more in extent, in which it is extremely
difficult to find either the nests or the birds themselves
after they are shot. That the birds also run from the
nests I am almost certain, as when the bird rose, and
afterwards we watched her to the nest, it was placed
quite six yards from where she rose first. These hay-
fields are covered with the same dockweed (not true
dockweed) as was growing at Talaga, where I found the
nest of eggs ; also with plants of horse-celery and long
grass. The Buntings perched on the dockweeds and
uttered a low ' chit-chit,' and often flew close round
when one was shot. Amongst the three of us, eight were
shot and six were lost. We came in, but Carl and I
could not sleep for the heat and closeness of the room.

July 13.

On Saturday, the 13th of July, Alston and Piottuch
started at twelve o'clock noon for the ' Grand Bois,'
ten versts off. They walked the first five versts to a
village, where they got a cart to drive the other five
to the forest of Glubocki, which they entered about
2.30 p.m. They presently came on the fresh tracks of
a large bear, and finding they had only one bullet, halted
to make three more, by melting shot in a hollowed
stump and pouring it into an empty cartridge-case.
Piottuch thought it was an old female with young, in

ARCHANGEL 169

which case they made sure of finding her. But on
proceeding further they found tracks not ten minutes
old, the bent grass still fresh on the break, showing that
it had been close to them, and had ' marscherum ' (i.e.,
1 departed,' or, literally, 'walked off!'). Whereupon
Piottuch said it must have been a male, and that there
was no chance of catching him without a dog. So there
was another Bear-sell !

They got a few birds, lost a Hazel Grouse, and
obtained a Northern or Siberian Jay, Crested Titmouse,
three Kustic Buntings (male, female, and young one),
a young Kedwing, etc. They reached home about 1 a.m.
next day.

Meanwhile Carl and I stayed in and skinned the birds,
and in the afternoon slept for three hours.

In the evening we (Carl and I) went again to the
Bunting-ground, where I shot eight, losing three, and
Karl shot two. I killed one ' youngish,' nearly full-
grown, and Carl also knocked over a large Hawk,
which, from his description, was probably a hen
Harrier, but when he was just putting his hand on it,
it recovered, got up, and flew away.

July 14.

It was about 1 a.m. on the morning of Sunday, the
14th of July, when Alston and Piottuch returned with
their account of the Bear, and we had a big ' Bear-
talk ' before going to rest., and determined to go on
Monday in search of Bruin, if only we can get a good
dog, as without one it would be no use. Unfortunately
we were unable to meet with a right dog, and had
reluctantly to give up the project.

We prepared for a start this afternoon, first intending
to go to Chircha (or Shirsha), on the way to Archangel,
fifty versts distant from here ; but when we actually

i;o TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

started, at eight o'clock in the evening, it was for Uima
that we rowed, having decided upon that place as being
in the more direct line for Walduski.

In the boat we had a grand romp, in which Carl
and Hospodeen Piottuch principally figured, Carl, with
his long legs, getting hopelessly mixed up with rugs,
' choubas ' (fur coats), guns, and grub baskets. Piottuch
kept chaffing all the people in the boats as we passed,
almost as much banter passing as if a couple of London
cabbies were the speakers.

A cold mist at night made our guns red-rusty.
Piottuch in mad pursuit of an Owl, and Carl killing
two Kooks (which are very rare here) out of a mixed
flock of Books and Hooded Crows, were the only other
events. Towards morning I got my three hours' sleep,
which would have been hard work earlier in the midst
of the row.

July 15.

It was about 7 o'clock a.m. on Monday, the 15th of
July, that we reached Uima. We had ' tchai,' and
after discussing our plans, decided to proceed at once
to Walduski, whence we shall send Nicholai for tobacco,
letters, etc., it being only six Yersts from Archangel.

When about three or four versts short of Walduski,
Alston and Carl and I landed, the boat going on. Just
as I landed a Kite came close overhead, and with No. 7
shot I rolled it over, but it recovered itself before
touching the ground and made off. No. 4 shot would
have killed it.

We walked under a broiling sun to Walduski, and
drank on the way two ' krinkas ' (bowls) of cold milk,
and most delicious it was. The milk is always kept in
ice-houses, which are attached to every farmhouse, large
or small. This made thirty-nine bowls of milk this trip.

We also drank and washed from a deep well, in which

ARCHANGEL 171

sometimes ice remains all summer attached to the walls.
In some wells in the country the ice never melts.

We shot a Tree Pipit and a few other things, and
arrived at Walduski about 3.30 or four o'clock.

The village of Walduski lies on the only high ground
for miles round, about 80 feet above the river, and
commands a fine view of Archangel and the surrounding
country.

We found the heat so suffocating in the house that
I gave up all idea of sleeping until the sun should go
down. I shall then get three hours' sleep, and about
three o'clock in the morning we are all to go out to
collect.

July 16.

Just as we were going to try to sleep, somewhere about
midnight or early morning of Tuesday, the 16th of July,
a peasant came in and told us of a large Eagle which was
frequenting a spot about three versts away. So Carl,
Alston, and I started, with a lad to guide us. We saw a
pair of Eagles (true Eagles this time, probably Haliatus
albiciila), one of them pursued by a large grey Owl,
which we suspect to be the Lapp Owl. The trees which
the Eagles principally alight upon being pointed out to
us, we crossed a small pond of water in a canoe and
landed in marshy hay-fields. We saw the Eagle in one
tree, but he made off. We took up positions, and most
painful ' positions ' they were, up to the ankles in soft,
moving bog, and clouds upon clouds of cuniari (i.e.,
mosquitos) feasting upon us till we were nearly devoured.
This we endured for about half an hour, but could hold
out no longer. The Eagle was seen but did not come near.

We returned along the river by some hay-fields, where
I killed, [at midnight, three Eeeves (one of them a young
one"), and Alston a Yellow-breasted Bunting and a young
Curlew. Shooting the Eeeves on the wing, like Snipe,

i?2 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

was not easy, as one had to kneel down to get the bird
against the sky. I got about three hours' broken sleep,
Alston about the same, and Carl hardly any.

Tuesday, the 16th of July, was a very hot day. At
half-past six or seven, when it was already scorching
hot, Alston found the hornets worse than the sJceeters,
his wrists being covered with blisters, and one of them
had a lump as big as half a hen's egg. Lots of birds
were seen, but all of them ' common ' — at least, what we
considered so. We came in to breakfast and then skinned,
Carl going out to shoot.

This place looks a much better locality than we think
it is, after our experience of this morning. The hornets,
horseflies, and common flies were almost as bad as the
mosquitoes in the night. Alston suffered most from the
hornets. With me their bites do not cause swellings,
though those of the mosquitoes do. I forgot my leggings
last night, and suffered accordingly, seven or eight
' cumari ' covering the space of half a square inch. We
did little to-day but skin a few birds, including adult and
young Spotted Crake brought in by our guide of last night.

Alston and I were each separately entertained to tea
by the peasants at whose houses we were respectively
staying.

It was so hot, and there were so many ' cumari '
that it was impossible to get any sleep this night, so
we had a romp and kicked up a general row, by way of
keeping cool, as Alston put it.

July 17.

On Wednesday morning, the 17th of July, about half-
past one, there was a tap at the window, and on looking
out, whom should we see but Carl Ivanovitch Birse and
his crew. They had rowed over from Archangel in less
than an hour, to see how we were getting on.

ARCHANGEL 173

We had planned overnight with our landlord to search
for Eaibchik (Hazel Grouse), about ten versts away,
starting about three o'clock this morning, but Birse
confirmed the doubts we had as to the locality holding
Raibchik, so we were easily persuaded to pack up and go
back with him to Archangel. We left about 6 a.m.
[Alston's diary has it, arrived at Archangel at 6 a.m.] .
Landing on an island on the way, we shot a Yellow-
breasted Bunting and a Sedge Warbler.

The two boats had then a race home, but ours was far
superior, and Nicholai, Jacob, and one of Birse's men,
with Carl and Alston, easily beat the other boat, although
Birse's men were the best rowers. We then had a
glorious bathe and romp, then a cup of coffee at Mr.
Birse's, then to bed about 9 a.m., sleeping till 1.30 p.m.

We then had another bathe and a romp with Birse,
Piottuch, Carl, and Ernst, then unpacked the boxes and
birds, and got things more ship-shape, as they had been
very hurriedly packed.

We planned our next trip, which will probably be
either to Urus Reaka or to Lya, and then our last, we
hope, to Solovetsk. Carl will accompany us on one and
Ernst on the other. They are both exceedingly nice
fellows, though I get on best with Carl, as he speaks
more English than Ernst. Carl is very like my old
schoolfellow and friend ' Doggie ' Grant,* and of much
the same character and temperament.

July 18.

Thursday, the 18th of July, was cooler, and we had a
thunderstorm. We had planned to have a photograph of
our boat and crew taken at the landing-place, but it was
a failure, Herr Hilda, the photographer, not having a
dark tent, and it being too far to carry the plate to his

* The late Alexander Grant, of New Zealand.

174 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

house. So later in the day we had a good group of the
men taken in his garden, standing round a camp-fire.
This view appeared in perfect loveliness, especially old
Nicholai chopping wood for the fire, and Piottuch with
his multifarious instruments and sporting paraphernalia.
We secured the negative also and twelve plates, which, if
well printed, ought to be a complete success. Between
the two photographic attempts we lunched and spent some
time with Mr. Shergold.

July 19.

Friday, the 19th of July, was warm, with heavy
thunder showers. We had Mr. Birse to breakfast, and
afterwards we bathed with the two Craemers. Nicholai
and Jacof went home last night, and are to be back about
eleven o'clock to-night, in time for our early morning
start for Lya — twenty-five versts off — a journey on which
Ernst accompanies us, as Carl will be busy in the
office.

In the afternoon, about three o'clock, Mr. Birse drove
us down to Solombola to dine with Captain Farfar, of the
ss. Joseph, of Montrose, a fine new vessel on her first trip,
and lading with flax. The captain gave us ' sea-pie,' a
most delightful soup made of potatoes, paste, meat, etc.
The captain — a Scotsman — told us that he could not tell
us what was ' in til't.' Alston described it as a cross-
breed between potato-soup and beefsteak pie. Of this we
ate till we could hardly stir, washing it down with plenty
of Allsopp's bitter beer and London stout. We after-
wards had plum-duff. I mention these ' trivials ' ; but
they were no ' trivials ' to us.

Going on deck we watched the Russian labourers press-
ing the flax into the hold. Huge bales, worth £10 or £12
each, are pressed by leverage by four or five men each
into a third of its bulk. While thus engaged the men
join in a rough chorus, working from six in the morn-

05 ^

jsi

a
- I

ARCHANGEL 175

ing till six at night. It was a curious sight to see them
down in the hold pouring with perspiration and singing a
rude chorus, the burden of which was ' Oh, give us some-
thing to drink, for we are very dry.' The sight was one
well worth seeing.

Driving back to town we called at the house where
pilgrims for Solovetsk are lodged, to inquire about the
next steamer going there.

We now changed our plans for our next trip, and
decided to go with Mr. Birse to Suzma, eighty versts
away, and quite a new locality for us. This expedition
will require four days, and to catch the Solovetsk steamer
we should have to be back on Wednesday night or Thurs-
day morning. We go in two boats, as Mr. Birse takes
two friends to join his wife and his mother-in-law (Mrs.
Craemers) at Suzma. We have lost one of our men —
Jacof — as he must go and get his hay cut, not being able
to employ another man in his place. Our party will,
therefore, this trip consist of Mr. Rogers and a lady (Miss
Giernet), Birse, Piottuch, Carl, and Ernst, ourselves, and
two crews of four men each.

July 20.

On Saturday, the 20th of July, we made preparations for
our trip to Suzma — including a lovely mosquito- veil which
Madame Leitzoff made for me to replace one I had lost. I
told her I would never part with it. (It was, I believe, a
piece of her own crinoline.) We started in our two boats
about 3 p.m., on a journey which took twenty-two hours
to accomplish, stopping at Nicholaisk Monastery for tea on
Sunday, the 21st of July. We had been told the journey
would take twelve hours.

July 21.

On Sunday, the 21st of July, we shot Great Black
and Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Great Grey Shrike,
Grosbeaks, etc.

176 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

July 22.

On Monday, the 22nd of July, we got Waxwing, Red-
throated Diver, female Scarlet Finches, etc. ; and dead
Quails were brought in to us.

July 23.

On Tuesday, the 23rd of July, we left Suzma by post-
horses and tarantasse, which we were assured would save
us much time ; but having no ' paderoshna ' we were de-
layed for horses and made to pay through the nose, and it
took us twenty-two hours to reach Archangel. Meanwhile
our boat and Mr. Myers took eight hours less. On the
way we saw large Black Terns (?).

July 24.

We arrived at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, the 24th of July,
after a trip which was the least successful and enjoyable
one of our Archangel tour.

We have now 324 birds' skins and the Skeleton of the
Crane.

July 25.

On Thursday, the 25th of July, we got the first copies
of the photograph of the boat's crew, which is a success.
We then drove to Solombola with Piottuch, and bought
divers-neck muffs, etc.

July 26.

On Friday, the 26th of July, after packing birds and
eggs, we went back to Solombola in the evening, and
found that we must give up the Solovetsk trip, as it
would entail our missing the only steamer that would
suit us for our return. We therefore arranged our
passage with Captain Burnet of the Stevenson, either
to London, Hull, or Aberdeen. She is to sail Thursday
next.

ARCHANGEL 177

July 28.

-• On Sunday, the 28th, Nicholai and his wife came in,
bringing us presents, including two or three Yellow-
breasted Buntings, a Golden Plover, and a Sedge Warbler,
all skinned, and a Pipit in the flesh, as well as a bicker
full of milk, Eussian bread, etc.

We afterwards went to Shergold's, to see the collection
left with him by Heinke, who collected for Hoffmansegg.
There were four large chests, one of stuffed birds beauti-
fully done, one of skins and furs in good condition, and
two of large horns. They are not very valuable from a
scientific point of view, though in a monetary sense they
are.

There were ten splendid skins of Eagle Owl, and as
many of the Snowy Owl, Red-necked Grebe, Brent
Goose, and one or two more were the only ones we
had not before identified at Archangel. Of Warblers
there were none, though we had been led to understand
from Mr. Dresser that there were.

Mr. Shergold has had them in his keeping for twelve
years, and as he pays insurance and cannot hear from
Heinke, he has decided to send the whole lot to Dresser
to be disposed of in London, where we assured him they
would fetch a good price.

Carl dined with us at five o'clock, and then we went
to visit the Samoyedes, who live near the slaughter-
houses, about a verst and a half behind the town. We
certainly were not prepared to see such savages anywhere
in Europe. There are two families of them, living in
conical-shaped wigwams, exactly like those of North
American Indians, covered with squares of birch-bark
sewed together, and the door closed with the same.
Inside the huts were strewed with filthy pieces of fur,
logs of woods, casks, and in the centre burned a wood
fire, on either side of which sat a Samoyede woman,

VOL. i. 13

i;8 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

while a naked, or nearly naked, baby sprawled about in
dangerous proximity to the flames. Hung above by a
long rope or chain from the top of the wigwam was a
large iron pot, and the smell which issued from the
doorway was simply unbearable. There were no men
at home, so the women were shy of showing themselves.
One came out to the doorway, however, and we had
a good view of her. She had the true Mongolian stamp
of features, the sallow complexion, flat nose, long narrow
eyes, high cheekbones ; was of small stature, and was
dressed or wrapped up in furs of different colours, and
wore the regular Samoyede boots. Withal she was not
ugly, but had rather a pleasant expression.

A perfect swarm of mongrel dogs rushed out to meet
us, and for a time we were puzzled to know what these
could be kept for, but all doubts vanished when after-
wards we found skulls and bones both of dogs, cats,
horses, lying about in close proximity, and when we
peeped into the large casks in which they store their
perfectly rotten meat. The stench that emanated from
these casks, and indeed pervaded the whole neighbour-
hood, was loathsome in the extreme. Carl assured us
that they prefer this food to any other, and live close
to the slaughter-house in order to obtain it and the
offal.

But these poor creatures are not to be taken as types
of the Samoyedes in position socially, as their contact
with civilisation has certainly not improved them. No ;
these people belong to another race, who hold the Samo-
yedes almost as slaves, and who came from the East and
conquered them — so we were told.

They are not to be compared with the wealthy
Samoyedes of Mezen and Petchora, who each own
15,000 or 20,000 * Keindeer, who have clean and com-
* See, however, the Petchora journals ; 10,000 is a big property.

ARCHANGEL 179

fortable wigwams, with a chamber only used for guests
and for purposes of hospitality.

The two families we saw live always here, and gain
a living by begging in the town, or working when work
can be had. Our walk was well worth our while, as we
thereby gained a slight insight into the habits of a people,
the most savage in Europe, with whom we may perhaps
on some future occasion make a nearer and longer
acquaintance.

At the slaughter-houses was a large flock of filthy
Ravens, of which I shot one, which stank as badly as
the offal upon which they were feeding. The ground
behind the town is a marshy moor covered with ' marou-
shka ' (cloudberry), Betula nana, heath, and small bushes
and trees. A Common Snipe was all we saw besides the
Havens.

July 29.

On Monday, the 29th of July, we went down to
Solombola, and bought a glutton's and a lynx's skin
for five and seven roubles. Then in the town we bought
a few curios, but could not get any of the ivory models
of the Samoyede huts, as all had been sent to Moscou
for exhibition.

July 30.

On Tuesday, the 30th of July, the old savage and his
squaw, the latter in all her barbaric splendour, dress
picturesque but not elegant, visited us. We then went
to the Museum with Piottuch, writing our list of species
wanted.

In the evening, at the Club, we entertained Shergold,
Birse, Roller, Piottuch, and Gellermann to a little dinner,
which was a great success. Shergold sang like a nightin-
gale, and sent to his house for some Kuhlenbacher —
dark-brown beer — which was very good, the other liquors
being wretched.

i So TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

July 31.

On Wednesday, the 31st of July, we dined at Mr.
Birse's and then completed our packing, and on Thursday,
the 1st of August, we said our goodbyes, Nathalie
Andrevna in floods of tears, and the last we saw of
Archangel were the firemen galloping full speed to the
first quarter of the town — a false alarm for the sake of
practice. We were on board the Stevenson at Solombola
at one o'clock. The ship being a ' tee-tottle ' one, we got
some few private stores on board, and the captain
promised us the use of the medicine-chest. The vessel
steamed off at last on the 2nd about half-past one in the
early morning, and reached the Maimux Bar about

5 a.m., where it stuck fast, and had to be lightened in
order to pass over that and the second bar. The reloading
from the lighters was completed about ten minutes to

6 p.m. on Sunday, the 4th of August, when we finally
left our anchorage. The last we saw of Russians were
the men and women on the lighters as they dropped
astern, and the last we heard was a— by this time —
well-known Russian song, joined in by all hands.

August 4.

The White Sea was at this time as calm as a mirror,
and far away to the West the long point of land stretched
out, which separates the Archangel and Onega Bays,
which we also saw from Suzma. When we left our
anchorage we proceeded nearly North, at about eight
and a half knots, bound either for Peterhead or Aberdeen,
where the captain puts in for orders and to coal. It is
expected that eight and a half days will bring us to
port. We rose about 9 a.m. on Monday, the 5th of
August, to find we had crossed the Arctic Circle and
were steaming along the dreary coast of Finland — long
low barren hills, with a low cliff-line and great drifts of

ARCHANGEL 181

snow lying in the hollows close down to the sea. A
few hours after noon we passed the lighthouse of
Orlobka, a slight mirage causing it at first to look
double. Between 12 and 1 p.m. the wind suddenly
shifted to the North, and it became icy cold, with the
thermometer at 48° in the sun, when yesterday it was
92°. In the afternoon came thick fog, and the steam-
whistle had to be blown. Bottle-nosed Whales (Globi-
cephalus soineval) were seen, and a Glaucous Gull
hovered close overhead. The lead heaved, showed a
sandy shelly bottom at about forty fathoms, and at
8 p.m. the log showed 310 miles from Archangel.

August 6.

We ran all Tuesday, the 6th of August, and night
with all sails and half steam at about ten and a half
knots before a strong breeze and in thick mist, and on
Wednesday, the 7th of August, we passed — about
seven miles off — the North Cape, a fine headland, with
the strata twisted and distorted in every conceivable
direction.

The 8th, Thursday, was a disagreeable day of heavy
rain with head winds and a heavy swell. The 9th,
Friday, was a beautiful day. We saw a peak or two
of the Lofodden Isles in the distance. We observed
numbers of Fulmars, an Eider Drake, a flock of Terns
(Arctic Terns with one Common Tern), Eichardson's
or Arctic Skuas, one Long-tailed Skua, Puffins, Eazor-
bills and Kitti wakes, and two large black Petrels, which
were probably Great Shearwaters.

August 10.

On Saturday, the 10th of August, we saw in the evening
a couple of large whales, probably Balanoptera musculus,

1 82 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

blowing in the distance. The rest of the voyage needs
no account, and we finally arrived at Peterhead during
the early morning of the 13th of August, Tuesday. After
spending a night in Aberdeen we reached our respective
homes on the 14th.

0?

fc

I

APPENDIX A

FULL LIST OF THE BIRDS COLLECTED ABOUND ARCH-
ANGEL IN 1872, BY E. E. ALSTON AND J. A.
HAR VIE -BROWN.

The numbers are those on the labels, and the asterisks (*)
signify specimens retained in Museum H. W. Feilden
and J. A. Harvie-Brown.
Redwing. Turdus iliacus, L.

136. Juv. Ijma Eeaka, 3rd July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
Bill horn ; base of lower mandible yellowish ;
legs ditto.
229. Juv. Talaga, 7th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.

Diseased; in spirits.

268*. Juv. Glubocki, 15th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
Fieldfare. Turdus pilaris, L.

44. Juv. Borki Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.
Whinchat. Pratincola rubetra (L) .

2*. $ Suyia, 14th June, 1872, J. A. H. B. Insects

in stomach.

216*. Near Archangel, 8th July, 1872, I. Piottuch and
Nicholai.

219. \

220. [ Near Archangel, 8th July, 1872, 1. Piottuch

221. and Nicholai.

222. Juv.J

183

1 84 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

278. Juv. Walduski, 15th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
Redstart. Buticilla phoenicurus (L.).

94*. Juv. Laidi Ostrov, 28th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
117. $ Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai. With young.
133*. $ Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.
Bluethroat. Cyanecula suecica (L.).

123. $ Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.
Garden Warbler. Sylvia hortensis, Bechst.

1*. $ Suyia, 14th June, 1872, E. K. A. Insects in

stomach.

146*. $ Ijma, 4th July, 1872, E. E. A.
247. <? Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

and C. Craemers.

270*. Cholmogory, 15th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.
274. $ Walduski, 15th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

OQPC* •* ^

oftfi* 1 Walduski, 16th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

.Zoo^ . o /

288. $ Walduski, 16th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
Willow Warbler. Phylloscopus trochilus (L.).

151. $ Ijma, 4th July, 1472, J. A. H. B. Upper
mandible dark brown, lower yellowish; legs
dark brown.

223*. Juv. | Near Archangel, 8th July, 1872, I.

224. Juv.) Piottuch and Nicholai.
Wood Warbler. Phylloscopus sibilatrix (Bechst.).

302*. ? Suzma, 21st July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
Sedge Warbler. Acrocephalus schcenobcenus (L.).

330*. Near Archangel, Nicholai. Keceived 28th July,

1872.
Northern Marsh Tit. Par us salicarius, C. L. Brehm.

201*. Talaga, 7th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
White Wagtail. Motacilla alba, L.

261. Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, E. E. A.

ARCHANGEL 185

301. ? Juv. Suzma, 21st July, 1872, C. and E.

Craemers.
303*. ? Juv. Suzma, 21st July, 1872, C. and E.

Craemers.
311*. 3 Juv. Suzma, 21st July, 1872, C. and E.

Craemers.

Blue-headed or Grey-headed Wagtail. Motacilla flava, L.
14. $ Kakari Ostrov, 18th June, 1872, Nicholai and

Jacof. Insects in stomach.
131*. $ Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.
Tree Pipit. An thus trivia Us (L.).

273*. $ Walduski, 15th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.
Bed- throated Pipit. Anthus cervinus (Pall.).

91*. $ Koombush Ostrov, 27th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.

211. <? ). Near Archangel, 8th July, 1872, I. Piottuch

212. $ } and Nicholai.

113. ? Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.
909

Talaga, 7th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

ZUo. ¥ J

331. $ Near Archangel, Nicholai. Received 28th

July, 1872.
Great Grey Shrike. Lanius excubitor, L.

41*. <? } Borki Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, I.
42. Juv. j Piottuch and Nicholai.
312*. $ Suzma, 21st July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
321. ? Suzma, 22nd July, 1872, E. K. A.
Waxwing. Ampelis garrulus, L.

80*. $ ) Goletz Ostrov, 26th June, 1872, Piottuch.
81. $ J Seeds in stomachs of both.

ILaidi Ostrov, 28th June" 1872, J. A. H. B.
Flock of three, testes rather developed.
Stomach contained cranberries, growing
in marshes.

1 86 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

175. $ Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, E. E. A.
181*. $ Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, Nicholai.
320. $ Suzma, 22nd July, 1872, E. E. A.
Spotted Flycatcher. Muscicapa grisola, L.
112. ? Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.

198*. $ Talaga, 7th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.
Brambling. Fringilla montifringilla, L.

191. $ Talaga, 7th July, 1872, E. E. A.
Mealy Redpoll. Linota linaria, L.

84*. $ Koombush Ostrov, 27th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
95*. Juv. Laidi Ostrov, 28th June, 1872, 1. Piottuch.
Northern Redpoll. Linota exilipes (Cones).

7. $ Near Archangel, 18th June, 1872, E. E. A.
and J. A. H. B. Grit and green seeds in
stomach.

8*. $ Near Archangel, 18th June, 1872, E. E. A.
and J. A. H. B. Grit and green seeds in
stomach.

104. $ Laidi Ostrov, 28th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
111*. <? Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.

129*. Juv.) Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, 1. Piottuch
130. Juv.j and Nicholai.
132*. $ Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.

197. <? Talaga, 7th July, 1872, 1. Piottuch.
204*. $ Talaga, 7th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.
215. $ Near Archangel, 8th July, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.
Scarlet Finch. Carpodacus erythrinus (Pall.).

194*. $> Talaga, 7th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. Bill pale

horn ; legs flesh. Grit in stomach.
316. $ Suzma, 22nd July, 1872, E. E. A. and
J. A. H. B.

ARCHANGEL 187

q-i 17 n \

318* ? I Suzma> 22nd July> 1872> J- A- H- B-

Bullfinch. Pyrrhula major, Brehm.

157. $ Ijma, 4th July, 1872, Nicholai.
Pine Grosbeak. Pinicola enucleator (L.).

304*. ? Juv. Suzma, 21st July, 1872, J. A. H. B.
Emberiza.

110. $ Juv. Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I.

Piottuch and Nicholai.
Reed Bunting. Emberiza schceniclus, L.

272. Juv. Walduski, 15th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.
Yellow-breasted Bunting. Emberiza aureola, Pall.

192*. c? Talaga, 7th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. Upper
mandible, horn ; edges and lower, flesh ; legs,
do. Food : small insects, beetles ; hair with nests
and eggs.

193*. ? Talaga, 7th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. Upper

mandible, horn ; edges and lower, flesh ; legs,

do. Food : small insects, beetles ; hair with

nests and eggs. Small caterpillars and grubs

in stomach.

230. ? \

231*. <?

232. ?

233. <?

234*. <? Immat.

235. $ \ Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872,

236. $ Immat. / E. E. A. and I. Piottuch.
237*. ?

238. c?
239*. $
240*. $
241*. $

252*. $ Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, E. K. A. and
J. A. H. B.

188 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

253*. ? Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, C. Craemers.
254*. Juv. Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, E. E. A.
255. Juv. ) cholmogoryj 12th Jul 1872> Nicholai.

ZOO. J UV. j

257. $ ] Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. and

258. $ j E. E. A.

259*. <? Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

260. ? Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. and

E. E. A.

262*- $ Cholmogory, 15th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

263. ? Cholmogory, 15th July, 1872, C. Craemers.

269*. Juv. advd. Cholmogory, 15th July, 1872, J. A. H.B.

271. $ Cholmogory, 15th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

277. ? Walduski, 15th July, 1872, E. E. A.

97Q A \
280* Walduski> 16th July, 1872, 1. Piottuch.

900* -* \

6 Walduski, 16th July, 1872, C. Craemers.

Walduski, 16th July, 1872, C. Craemers.

j

289*. $
290. $
291*. Juv.
292*. Juv.
293*. Juv.
294. Juv.
295*. Juv.
327

Near Archangel, Nicholai, reed. 28th July,

329*. <

Yellow Bunting, or Yellowhammer. Ember iza citrinella, L.
1 14* •* .

TT* ' ! Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I. Piottuch
J. JL 0 . o h T -XT • i i

and Nicholai.
116. $ I

Rustic Bunting. Emberiza rustica, Pall.

144*. $ Ijma, 4th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. Bill, upper
mandible, dark horn ; lower, paler ; legs, flesh.

ARCHANGEL 189

264. Juv. Glubocki, 15th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.

or«* f •• Glubocki, 15th July, 1872, E. E. A.
zoo . ? i

Little Bunting. Ember iza pusilla, Pall.

4. $ Near Archangel, 18th June, 1872, E. E. A.
Insects in stomach.

' * [Xoombush Ostrov, 27th June, 1872, E. E. A.
yu. <s j

93. $ Laidi Ostrov, 28th June, 1872, E. E. A.
98*. ? Laidi Ostrov, 28th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
118. <?

120* Tuv Near ArchanSel> lst Julv> 1872' I- Piottuch
121*. Juv.
122*. c?

1 S7* ^ )

1 ^' fc, 4th July, 1872,

141. ? Ijma, 4th July, 1872, E. E. A.

147. $ Ijina, 4th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

149. $ Ijma, 4th July, 1872, E. E. A.

150*. $ Ijma, 4th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

* | Ijma, 4th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

.

160*. ? Juv. Ijma, 4th July, 1872, Carl Craemers.
161*. Juv. Ijma, 4th July, 1872, Carl Craemers.
170*. Juv. Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.

178* 9 >

I*® ' Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.

1 1 4 . $ }

176*. $ )Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, Nicholai and I.

177. $ \ Piottuch.

190. $ Talaga, 7th July, 1872, E. E. A.

1QK o ^

Talaga, 7th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.

. o /

217*. ) Near Archangel, 8th July, 1872, I. Piottuch
218. i and

190 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

jWalduski, 16th July, 1872, E. K. A.

225. Juv. Near Archangel, 8th July, 1872, 1. Piottuch
and Nicholai.

281. Juv.

282. ?

319*. $ Suzma, 22nd July, 1872, J. A. H. B.
Skylark. Alanda arvensis.

102*. $ Tscheike Ostrov, 29th June, 1872, E.

Craemers.

287. & Walduski, 16th July, 1872, E. K. A.
Siberian, or Northern Jay. Perisoreus infaustus (L.).
164. $ Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, E. K. A. Bill

and legs, black ; irides, red-brown. Food : in-

sects, small beetles.
165*. ? Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

Bill and legs, black ; irides, red-brown. Food :

insects, small beetles.

168* 2 Ozero> 5tn July» 1872» c- Craemers.

™L ? ] Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.

-1 / '— . O /

184. c? Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
267. ? Glubockie, 15th July, 1872, E. K. A.
Hooded Crow. Gorvus comix, L.

3*. <? Suzma, 14th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
24. Juv. Near Archangel, 18th June, 1872, E. E. A.
Jackdaw. Corvus monedula, L.

Icholmogory, 12th July, 1872, Nicholai.
J

Great Black Woodpecker. Pic us martins, L.

368. ? Suzma, 21st July, 1872, E. K. A.
Barred or Lesser Spotted Woodpecker. Dendrocopus minor
(L).

(With nest, Kakaree Ostrov, 18th June,
- ' \ 1872, Nicholai and Jacof. Insects in
I stomach,

ARCHANGEL 191

Middle Spotted Woodpecker. Dendrocopus medius (L.).
305*. $ Suzma, 21st July, 1872, 1. Piottuch.
306*. 2? Suzma, 21st July, 1872, Carl Craemers.
307. <? Suzina, 21st July, 1872, E. E. A.
Three-toed Woodpecker. Picoides tridactylus (L.).

180. 2 Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, E. E. A. Bill
and legs, dark lead. Stomach contained ants and
beetles.
Cuckoo. Cuculus canorus, L.

166. <? Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
323*. Juv. $ Suzma, 22nd July, 1872, J. A. H. B.
Short-eared Owl. Asio accipitrinus (Pall.).

105. $ Laidi Ostrov, 28th June, 1872, Nicholai.
134*. ? Near Archangel, 1st July, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.
325*. ? Juv. Near Archangel, Mr. Myers ; received

26th July, 1872.
Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris (L.).

178*. ? Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

Food, bones of frog.
207. Juv. Ijma, brought back by Nicholai ; bought

in Ijma with one egg ; received 7th July, 1872.
Hobby. Falco subbuteo, L.

79. $ Goletz Ostrov, 26th June, 1872, E. E. A.
Anas.

158*. Juv. Ijma Eeaka, 3rd July, 1872, Carl Craemers.
Wild Duck. Anas boscas, L.

159. Juv. Ijma Eeaka, 3rd July, 1872, I. Piottuch.

162*. Juv. \ I-ma Eedk 3rd Jul 18?2 L Pottauch.
163. Juv. J
Shoveller. Spatula clypeata (L.).

9. $ Archangel Market, 18th June, 1872.
18*. ? (With the 9 eggs, received 15th June, 1872.)
Tinevato Ostrov, 18th June, 1872, Nicholai and
Jacof

192 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

19*. <? (With the 9 eggs, received 15th June, 1872.)
Tinevato Ostrov, 18th June, 1872, Nicholai and
Jacof.

64*. ? Goletz Ostrov, 23rd June, 1872, J. A. H. B.

65. ? (With four young), Cholopyain Ostrov, 23rd
June, 1872, Jacof.

66^ Juv. J Cholopyain Ostrov, 23rd June, 1872,
J.A.H.B.andE.E.A.

Garganey. Querquedula circia (L.).

11*. $ Archangel Market, 18th June, 1872.

23. $ Archangel Market, 18th June, 1872 (with

No. 11).
Teal. Nettion crecca (L.).

39. ? Borki Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.
40*. $ Borki Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, I. Piottuch

and Nicholai.
Pintail Duck. Dafila acuta (L.).

17. ? Tinevato Ostrov, 18th June, 1872, Nicholai

and Jacof.
70*. ? (With young.) Cholopyain Ostrov, 23rd

June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
71*. Juv.
72*. Juv.

73. Juv.

74. Juv.

Cholopyain Ostrov, 23rd June, 1872,
J. A. H. B. and E. E. A.

75*. Juv.
76*. Juv.
106. ? Laidi Ostrov, 28th June 1872, J. A. H. B.

(with down and 2 eggs).
Wigeon. Mareca penelope (L.).

169. Juv. Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, Nicholai.
179. ? Ijma Ozero, 5th July, 1872, Nicholai, with
No. 169,

ARCHANGEL 193

Common or Black Scoter. CEdemia nigra (L.).

299*. $ Walduski, 16th July, 1872, peasant boy.
Willow Grouse. Lagopus albus (Gmel.).

82*. ? ) Goletz Ostrov, 26th June, 1872, J.A.H.B.
83*. ? j" and Piottuch. (Eggs broken.)
99 $ }
100* $ J Laidi Ostrov> 28th June> 1872> L Piottuch.

A154. Juv. )

B155. Juv. Ijma, 4th July, 1872, B. J. Wassili.

156*. Juv.
Capercaillie. Tetrao urogallus, L.

154. Juv., Ijma, 4th July, 1872, B. J. Wassili.
Black Grouse. Tetrao tetrix, L.

155. Juv. Ijma, 4th July, 1872, B. J. Wassili.

182. Juv. Ijma, 6th July, 1872, brought in with
183*. Juv. No. 185, by Wassili.

185*. Juv. Ijma, 6th July, 1872, Wassili, with 182-3.
Hazel Grouse. Tetrastes bonasia (L.).

226. ? Archangel Market, 9th July, 1872.
322. ? Suzma, 22nd July, 1872, peasant.

Spotted Crake. Porzana maruetta (Leach) .

Walduski, 16th July, 1872, peasant
boy. Base of bill of Juv. fleshy red;
tip with diamond ; legs greenish lead.
Crane. Grus communis, Bechst.

208*. $ Moorahvichi Ostrov, 3rd July, 1872,
brought to us by Ilya, received 7th. Bill, red at
base, yellowish towards tip ; irides, red ; legs,
black; weight, 10 Ibs. 4 oz. Stomach contained
vegetable matters, and a few fish-bones ; sternum
preserved.

227. $ (Skeleton), Walduski, 7th July, 1872,
bought. Stomach contained vegetable substances
and grit ; gullet and crop, small univalve shells.

VOL. i. 14

194 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Golden Plover. Charadrius phivialis, L.

25*. $ Pratosclotski Ostrov, 20th June, 1872,
Ernst Craemers. Stomach empty.

310. $ Suzma, 21st July, 1872, I. Piottuch.

326. Near Archangel, Nicholai, received 28th July, 1872.
Grey Plover. Squatarola helvetica (L.).

56. ? \

57. $ [-Tscheike Ostrov, 22nd July, 1872, E. K. A.
58*. $ I

Oystercatcher. Hcematopus ostralegus, L.

324. Juv. E. Dvina, 23rd July, 1872, Nicholai.
Great or Double Snipe. Gallinago major (Grrnel.).

142*. Juv. Ijma,4thJuly,1872,J.A.H.B. Bill, horn;
pale at base of lower mandible; legs, greenish-grey.
Little Stint. Tringa minuta, Leisl.

48*. Tschatche Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, Nicholai.
Temminck's Stint. Tringa temmincki, Leisl.

45* \

' Tscheike Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, E. B. A.

and J. A. H. B.

47. $

H * JGoletz Ostrov, 22nd June, 1872, Nicholai.

78. $ )

107. ? Tscheike Ostrov, 29th June, 1872, E. E. A.

Nest No. 1.
108*. $ Tscheike Ostrov, 29th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.

Nest No. jj.
109*. $ Tscheike Ostrov, 29th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.

Nest No. 3.
Curlew Sandpipers. Tringa subarquata (Giild.).

128. Archangel Market, 18th June, 1872.
Ruff. Machetes pug nax (L.).
50*. ?\

51* r?

52 ' * lTscnatcne Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, E. E. A.

' ' . | and J. A. H. B.

53. $

54. $ t

ARCHANGEL 195

* JTscheike Ostrov, 22nd June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
124*. <n
126 ' ^ lArchangel Market, 18th June, 1872.

127*. $

276* Juv!lWalduski} 15th July> 1872' J* A' H' R
Greenshank. Totanus glottis (L.).

38*. Borki Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, I. Piottuch and

Nicholai.
Wood Sandpiper. Totanus glareola (Gmel.).

43. ? Borki Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, I. Piottuch
and Nicholai.

85*. 2 }

86* $ j-Koombush Ostrov, 27th June, 1872, J.A.H.B.

140*. $ Ijma Keaka, 3rd July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
145. ? Ijma Keaka, 3rd July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
188. Juv.j Talaga, 6th July, 1872, I. Piottuch, with
189*. Juv.J 199 and 205.
199. $ Talaga, 7th July, 1872, I. Piottuch, with

188 and 189.
205*. $ Talaga, 7th July, 1872, I. Piottuch, with 188

and 199.
246. Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. and

C. Craemers.

296*. $ Walduski, 15th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
Common Sandpiper. Totanus hypoleuvos (L.).

139*. $ Ijma Eeaka, 3rd July, 1872, Carl Craemers.
Terek Sandpiper. Terekia cinerea (Giild.).

5*. $ Near Archangel, 18th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.

Stomach empty.

6*. $ Near Archangel, 18th June, 1872, Carl Crae-
mers. Grit in stomach ; bill, black ; eye, dark ;
legs, greenish-orange,

196 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

26*. $ ) Postodvornia poscotina Ostrov, 20th June,
27*. <? f 1872, J. A. H. B. and E. Craemers.

28. ? Same place and date, E. E. A., the mother
of the four following: —

29. Juv.

Same place and date,E. K. A. and J. A. H. B.

30. Juv.
31*. Juv.
32*. Juv.

37*. <? Tinevato Ostrov, 21st June, 1872. E. Crae-
mers.

49*. ? Tscheike Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
92. $ Koombush Ostrov, 27th June, 1872, E. Crae-
mers.

135. $ Ijma Keaka, 3rd July, 1872 (?). Bill, black ;
base of lower mandible, yellowish ; irides, dark ;
legs, pale orange.

148*. ? Ijma Keaka, 3rd July, 1872, J. A. H. B.
186*. Juv. Kiver Dvina, 6th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. and

E. K. A.
187*. Juv., Kiver Dvina, 6th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

Caught by dog.

200. $ Talaga, 7th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
206*. $ Talaga, 7th July, 1872, I. Piottuch.
210. $ Moses Ostrov, 8th July, 1872, E. K. A.
213*. <? ) Moses Ostrov, 8th July, 1872, J. A. H.B.,

214. $ Juv.j" E. K. A. (full-grown).
228. Moses Ostrov, 8th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. (for

skeleton) .

229 bis. Juv. Kiver Dvina, llth July, 1872, I. Piot-
tuch.

242. Juv. Kiver Dvina, llth July, 1872, I. Piot-
tuch.

243. ? jCholmogory, 12th July, 1872, J. A. H. B.

244. ? J and C. Craemers.

245. ? Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, E. K. A.

ARCHANGEL 197

Curlew. Numenius arquatus (L.).

209*. $ Juv., Moorahveechi Ostrov, 3rd July, 1872.

Brought to us by Ilya (or Eilah ?) .
Arctic Tern. Sterna macrura, Naum.

300*. $ Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, C. Craemers.
Black-headed Gull. Larus ridibundus, L.

249. Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. and

C. Craemers.
Common Gull. Larus canus, L.

61. $ Goletz Ostrov, 22nd June, 1872, E. R. A.
62*. $ Goletz Ostrov, 22nd June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
63. $ Goletz Ostrov, 22nd June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
(No. 63. Fish-bones in stomach : eye, dark ;
eyelid and inside of mouth, red ; whole
bill and legs, pale lemon-yellow.)
101. $ Laidi Ostrov, 28th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
103. Juv. Tscheike Ostrov, 29th June, 1872,

J. A. H. B. and E. R. A.
248*. Cholmogory, 12th July, 1872, J. A. H. B. and

C. Craemers.
Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus fuscus, L.

20. Archangel, 18th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
21*. Juv. Archangel, 18th June, 1872, J. A. H. B.
Of this the bill was coloured horn; upper
mandible, white at base ; legs, fleshy white ;
eyes, pearl-grey.
36*. $ Tinevato Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, I.

Piottuch.
Greater Black-backed Gull. Larus marinus, L.

34*. Juv. Tinevato Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, E.

Craemers.
35. Juv. Tinevato Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, E.

Craemers.

55*. Juv. Tscheike Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, E. R. A.
and J. A. H. B.

198 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Red-throated Driver. Colymbus septentrionalis, L.

10. <? Tinevato Ostrov, 18th June, 1872, Nicholai

and Jacof. Small river shells in stomach.
15*. ? Tinevato Ostrov, 18th June, 1872, Nicholai

and Jacof.
22. ? Tinevato Ostrov, 18th June, 1872, Nicholai

and Jacof.
33*. Juv. Tinevato Ostrov, 21st June, 1872, E.

Craemers.

87*. $ ) Koombush Ostrov, 27th June, 1872, J.Piottuch.
88*. ? j A pair — the $ contained a perfect egg.
313*. ?

314. Juv. -Suzma,22ndJuly,1872,E.E.A. and J.A.H.B.
315*. Juv.

331 Specimens.
For Summary see Appendix C.

APPENDIX B

FULL LIST OF EGGS COLLECTED.

Fieldfare. Turdus pilaris, L.

1872. June 15th, Dvina delta. 6 eggs and nest taken

15/3/'72%(Old Style), by E. Craemers.
1872. June 17th, Dvina delta. 5 eggs and nest taken

27/5/72 (Old Style), by Ernst Craemers.
Redstart. Euticilla phoenicurus (L.).

1872. June 17th, Dvina delta. *6 eggs and nest taken

20/5/72 (Old Style), by Ernst Craemers.
White Wagtail. Motacilla alba, L.

1872. June 17th, Dvina delta. 5 eggs and nest taken

21/5/72 (Old Style), by Ernst Craemers.
Spotted Flycatcher. Muscicapa grisola, L.

1872. June 17th, Dvina delta. 6 eggs and nest taken

27/5/72 (Old Style), by Ernst Craemers.
Redpoll. Linota linaria (L.).

1872. June 17th, Dvina delta. 2 eggs and nest taken,

date not stated, by Ernst Craemers.
1872. June 22nd, Goletz Ostrov. 5 eggs and nest

(broken) taken by E. E. A. and J. A. H. B.
1872. July, Archangel. *4 eggs and nest, and *1 egg

and nest taken by I. Piottuch.
1872, July 7th, Talaga. Nest taken by E. E. A,

199

200 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

1872. July 13th, Archangel. 4 eggs (one broken) and
nest taken by Carl Craemers and brought
to us July 18th.

1872. Date not given. Dvina, on the road to
Suzma. Three eggs and nest taken by
J. A. H. B., ipse.
Yellow-breasted Bunting. Emberiza aureola, Pall.

1872. July 7th, near Talaga, on the Kiver Dvina.
5 eggs and nest taken by J. A. H. B., ipse.
$ and ? , Nos. 192, 193, shot. See journal
under this date.

Siberian or Northern Jay. Perisoreus infaustus (L.).
1872. July 13th, Glubocki, near Cholmogory. Nest

taken by E. K. A.
Lesser Spotted or Barred Woodpecker. Dendrocopus minor

(L.).

1872. June 18th, Nakari Ostrov. 1 egg and nest
taken by Nicholai and Jacof.
(Two birds.)
Buzzard. Euteo vulgaris, Leach.

1872. July 7th, Ijma. 1 broken egg and young
bird, taken by a peasant, and received by
Nicholai the above date.
Hobby. Fa ho subbuteo, L.

1872. June 26th, Goletz Ostrov. 3 eggs taken by
E. K. A., ipse. <?shot. In old nest of Hooded
Crow, lined partly with a little of the bird's
own down.
Shoveller. Spatula clypeata (L.).

1872. June 15th, Dvina delta. 9 out of a nest of 10
taken by Nicholai, employed by Mr. Shergold
on our behalf prior to our arrival at Arch-
angel. The bird was shot and brought in
afterwards.
1872. June 22nd, Goletz Ostrov. *8 eggs taken by

ARCHANGEL 201

J. A. H. B., no down in nest ; $ shot

(skin No. 64) ; one egg in bird broken.
Teal. Nettion crecca (L.).

1872. July 26th, Goletz Ostrov. 6 eggs and down

taken by E. K. A. and J. A. H. B. ? shot

by I. Piottuch.
Pintail Duck. Dafila acuta (L.).

1872. June 15th, Dvina delta. 2 eggs taken by

Nicholai, employed Mr. Shergold on our behalf

prior to our arrival at Archangel.
1872. June 18th, locality doubtful. 10 eggs taken by

Nicholai and Jacof upon an island covered with

reindeer moss.
1872. June 18th, Tinevato Ostrov. 2 eggs (deformed)

taken by Nicholai and Jacof.
1872. June 22nd, Goletz Ostrov. Clutches of 8 with

down and 5 with down, taken by E. B. A.

and J. A. H. B.
1872. June 28th, Laidi Ostrov. 2 and down taken

by J. A. H. B., ipse. ? shot.
Anas ? Not identified.

1872. June 15th, Dvina delta. 4 eggs taken by

Nicholai, employed by Mr. Shergold on our

behalf prior to our arrival at Archangel.
Willow Grouse. Lagopus albus (Gmel.).

1872 June 18th, locality doubtful, not far off Tine-
vato Ostrov. 10 eggs taken by Nicholai and

Jacof, upon an island covered with reindeer

moss.
1872. June 26th, Goletz Ostrov. 9 eggs taken,

would not blow, by I. Piottuch. ? bird shot,

No.
Ringed Plover. Mgialitis hiaticola (L.).

1872. June 22nd, Goletz Ostrov. Clutch of 4 taken

by E. B. A. and J. A. H. B.

202 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Temminck's Stint. Tringa temmincki (LeisL).

1872. June 15th, Dvina delta. 7 collected by Nicholai,
employed by Mr. Shergold on our behalf prior
to our arrival in Archangel. (Of these, 4
remain in Mus. F. & H. B.) ; also 31, mostly
slightly incubated, with yolks rich orange.
(Of these remain in Mus. F. & H. B.)

1872. June 28th, Tinevato Ostrov. 4, taken by
Nicholai.

1872. June 28th, Tscheike Ostrov. Clutches of 4, 4,
and 4 belonging to skins No. 107, 108, 109,
taken by Nicholai ; clutches of 4, 4, and 4 taken
by J. A. H. B. and E. K. A. ; and clutch of 4
taken by J. A. H. B., ipse.
Buff. Machetes pugnax (L.).

1872. June 22nd, Goletz Ostrov. 3 eggs taken by
I. Piottuch, E. E. A., and J. A. H. B.

1872. June 26th, Goletz Ostrov. Clutcher of 4 and

1 taken by E. K. A. and J. A. H. B.
Terek Sandpiper. Terekia cinerea (Guld).

1872. June 15th, Dvina delta. 51 eggs collected by
Nicholai, employed by Mr. Shergold on our
behalf prior to our arrival at Archangel.
These eggs were mostly fresh or slightly in-
cubated. (Kemain in Mus. F. & H. B.)

1872. June 21st, Tscheike Ostrov. 4 by I. Piot-
tuch. These being hard set were put into
spirits.

1872. June 22nd, Goletz Ostrov. Clutch of 4 taken
by E. E. A., ipse; clutches of 3 and *4 taken
by J. A. H. B., ipse.
Arctic Tern. Sterna macrura, Naum.

1872. June 22nd, Goletz Ostrov. 2 eggs taken by
E. E. A., ipse.

1872. June 28th, Tscheike Ostrov. 2 eggs taken,

ARCHANGEL 203

laid in an old nest of Terekia cinerea from
which J. A. H. B. took eggs on 21st June.
? Gull. Larus. Not identified.

1872. June 21st, Tscheike Ostrov. 2 eggs taken

(one broken) by I. Piottuch.
Red-throated Diver. Golymbus septentrionalis, L.

1872. June 18th, Tinevato Ostrov. 2, *2, *2, and 2
eggs, not in nests, with three birds, taken by
Nicholai and Jacof .
1872. June 27th, Koombush Ostrov. 1 egg found

in ? shot by I. Piottuch.
Black-throated Diver. Colymbus arcticus, L.

1872 June 18th, Tinevato Ostrov. 2 eggs taken by
Nicholai and Jacof.

APPENDIX C

LIST OF BIRDS COLLECTED WITH YOUNG, BIRDS, NESTS, AND EGGS
IN SEPARATE COLUMNS.

Species. Young. Birds. Nests.

1. Hobby. Falco subbuteo ... ... ... ... — 1 — 3

2. Buzzard. Buteo vulgaris 1 1 —

3. Short-eared OwL Otus brachyotus 1 2 — —

4. Sand Martin. Hirundo riparia ... ... — — — 5

5. Sedge Warbler. Acr. schcenobamis 1 — —

6. Garden Warbler. Sylvia hortensis 3 — —

7. Wood Warbler. Phyll. sybilatrix — 1 — —

8. 2 5

9. Redstart. Eutidlla phcenicurus 121 5

10. Bluethroat. Cyanecula suecica 1

11. Whinchat. Saxicola rubetra 1 4 — —

12. Northern Marsh Tit Parus borealis — 1 — —

13. White Wagtail. Motacilla alba 3 1 1 6

14. Blue-headed or Grey-headed Wagtail. Muta-

cilla ftava (var.?) 2

15. Red-throated Pipit. Anthus cervinus ... — 3 — —

16. Do. do — 3 — —

17. Do. do — 1 —

18. Do. do. 1 — —

19. Fieldfare. Turdus pilaris 1 — 2 10

20. Redwing. Turdus iliacus 2 1 — —

21. Spotted Flycatcher. Muscicapa grisola ... 31 6

22. Waxwing. Ampelis garrula 7

23. Great Grey Shrike. Lanius excubitor ... 1 3 — —

24. Siberian or Northern Jay. Perisoreus in-

faustus ... ... ... ... ... — 8 1? —

25. Hooded Crow. Corvus comix 1 1

26. Jackdaw. Corvus monedula — 2 — —

27. Brambling. F. montifringilla — 1 — —

28. Bullfinch. Pyrrlmla major — 1 —

29. Scarlet Finch. Carpodacus erythrinus ... — 4 —

30. Pine Grosbeak. Pinicola enucleator 1 — — —

31. Mealy Redpoll. Linota linaria 2 9 7 18

32. Yellowhammer. Emberiza citrinella — 3 — —

204

ARCHANGEL

205

Species.

33. Emberiza citrinella Juv.

34. Reed Bunting. Emb. schveniclus

35. Yellow-breasted Bunting. Emb. aureola

36. Rustic Bunting. Emb. rustica

37. Little Bunting. Emb. pusilla

38. Skylark. Alauda arvensis ...

39. Great Black Woodpecker. Picus martins ...

40. Middle-spotted Woodpecker. Picus media* ...

41. Three-toed Woodpecker. Picus tridactylus ...

42. Lesser-spotted Woodpecker. Picus minor ...

43. Cuckoo. Cuculus canorus

44. Capercaillie. Tetrao urogallus

45. Black Grouse. Tetrao tetrix

46. Hazel Grouse. Tetrao bonasia

47. Willow Grouse. Lagopus albus

48. Grey Plover. Squatarola helvetica

49. Ringed Plover. sEqialitis hiaticula

50. Crane. Grus cinerea (and Sternum)

51. Common Sandpiper. Totanus hypoleucos

52. Wood Sandpiper. Totanus glareola

53. Greenshank. Totanus glottis ...

54. Terek Sandpiper. Terekia cinerea

55. Ruff. Machetes pugnax

56. Little Stint. Tringa minuta

57. Temminck's Stint. Tringa temmincki

58. Curlew Sandpiper. Tringa subarquata

59. Great or Double Snipe. Scolopax major

60. Spotted Crake. Crex porzana

61. Wigeon. Mareca penelope ...

62. Pintail Dafila acuta

63. Wild Duck, Anas boscas

64. Teal. Xettion crecca ... ...

65. Garganey. Querquedula circia

66. Shoveller. Spatula clypeata

67. Common or Blade Scoter. (Edemia nigra ...

68. Red-throated Diver. Colymbus septentrionalis

69. Black-throated Diver. Col. arcticus

70. Common Gull. Larus canus

71. Greater Black-backed GulL Larus marinus ...

72. Lesser Black-backed Gull. Larus fuscus

73. Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus

74. Arctic Tern. Sterna hirundo

Grus cinerea skeleton, 1 sternum, trachea, etc.
Terekia cinerea, 2 sternums, 1 bird in spirits.
Turtfus iliacus, 1 in spirits, diseased.

Young. Birds. Nests. Eggs.
1
2 — — -

34
3

26
2

1
3
1
2
1

•I

— 12

_ 4

62

8

_ 1 — —

1

I 1

II — —

27

3 — — —

— 17

— 9
_ _ _ 2

4

ey

— 2

1 — —

— 1 . — —

APPENDIX D

LIST OF THE EAKER BIRDS IN THE MUSEUM
AT ARCHANGEL.

Stated to have been all procured in the Government of
Archangel.

The nomenclature within parentheses is that upon
the labels of the specimens in the Museum.

Cyanecula suecica. Bluethroat. (Lusciola suecica.)
Pants cinctus. Siberian Tit. (Panes sibiricus.)
Parus salicarius. Northern Marsh Tit. (Parus bore-
alls.)

Sitta europcea. Northern Nuthatch. (Sitta europcea.)
Anthus trivialis. Tree Pipit. (Anthus arboreus.)
Lanius collurio. Red-backed Shrike. (Lanius collurio.)
Chnjsomitris spinus. Siskin. (Fringilla spinus.}
Carpodacus erythrinus. Scarlet Finch. (Pyrrhula ery-
thrina.)

Pinicola enucleator. Pine Grosbeak. (Pyrrhula enucle-
ator.)

Loxia leucoptera. White- winged Crossbill. (Loxia leu-
cop tera.}

Emberiza schceniclus. Reed Bunting. (Emberiza
melanocephala.)

Emberiza aureola. Yellow-breasted Bunting. (Emberiza
aureola.}
Emberiza rustica. Rustic Bunting. (Emberiza rustica.)

Emberiza pusilla. Little Bunting. (Emberiza pusilla.)

206

ARCHANGEL 207

Calcarius lapponicus. Lapland Bunting. (Plectrophanes

lapponica.)

Otocorys alpestris. Shore Lark. (Alauda alpestris.}
Sturnus vulgar is. Starling. (Sturnus vulgaris.)
Nucifraga caryocatactes. Nutcracker. (Nucifraga

caryocatactes.)

Perisoreus infaustus. Sibernian Jay. (Garrulus in-

faustus.)

Cijpselus apus. Swift. (Cypselus apus.)

Caprimulgus europceus. European Nightjar. (Capri-

mulgus europceus.)

Picus martins. Great Black Woodpecker. (Picus mar-

tins.)
Dendrocopus leuconotus. White-backed Woodpecker.

(Picus leuconotus.}
Picoides tridactylus. Three-toed Woodpecker. (Picus

tridactylus.)

Gecitms canus. Grey-headed Green Woodpecker. (Picus

canus.}

Strix uralensis. Ural Owl. (Ulula uralensis.)
Strix lapponica. Lapp Owl. (Ulula barbata.)
Nyctea scandiaca. Snowy Owl. (Surnia nyctaa.)
Surnia ulula. Hawk Owl. (Surnia funereal)
Nyctala tengmalmi. Tengmalm's Owl. (Nyctale teng-

malini.)

Bubo ignavus. Eagle Owl. (Bubo maximus.)
Glaucidium passerinum. Pigmy Owl. (Surnia pas-
ser ina.}

Athene noctua. Little Owl. (Ulula noctua.}

Aquila chryscetos. Golden Eagle. (Aquila chrysatos.)

Halicetus albicilla. Sea Eagle. (Halicetus albicilla.)

Falco peregrinus. Peregrine. (Falco peregrinus.}

Falco subbuteo. Hobby. (Falco subbuteo.)

Falco vespertimis. Eed-legged Falcon. (Falco vesper-

tinus.)

208 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Pandion haliatus. Osprey. (Pandion halicetus.)
Anser fabalis. Bean Goose. (Anser segetum.)
Anser albifrons. White-fronted Goose. (Anser albi-
frons.}

Branta bernicla. Bernicle Goose. (Anser torquatus.)
Chaulelasmus streperus. Gadwall. (Anas strepera.)
Spatula clypeata. Shoveller. (Anas clypeata.)
Querquedula circia. Garganey. (Anas querquedula.)
Dafila acuta. Pintail. (Anas acuta.)
M thyia fe rina . Pochard. (Fuligula fe rina . )
&thyia marila. Scaup Duck. (Fuligula marila.)
JEthyia fuligula. Tufted Duck. (Fuligula cristata.)
Miliijia mjroca. White-eyed Duck. (Fuligula nyroca.)
Harelda glacialis. Long-tailed Duck. (Harelda glaci-

alis.)

Mergus albellus. Smew. (Mergus albellus.)
Syrrhaptes paradoxus. Pallas's Sand Grouse. One.

(Syrrhaptes paradoxus.}
Lagopus albus. Willow Grouse. (Lagopus albus.)

Eggs.

Tetrastes bonasia. Hazel Grouse. (Tetrao bonasia.)
Porzana maruetta. Spotted Crake. (Porzana maru-

etta.)

Grus comrnunis. Crane. (Grus cinerea.)
Gallinago major. Great Snipe. (Scolopax major.)
Tringa minuta. Little Stint. (Tringa minuta.)
Calidris arenaria. Sanderling. (Calidris arenaria.}
Totanus fuscus. Spotted Redshank. (Totanus fuscus.)
Totanus ochropus. Green Sandpiper. (Totanus ochro-

pus.)

Terekia cinerea. Terek Sandpiper. (Terekia cinerea.)
Limosa lapponica. Bar-tailed Godwit. (Limosa rufa.)
Hydrochelidon leucoptera. White-winged Black Tern.

(Sterna leucoptera.)
Pagophila eburnea. Ivory Gull. (Lams eburneus.)

ARCHANGEL 209

Larus minutus. Little Gull. (Larus minutus.)
Larus glaucus. Glaucous Gull. (Larus glaucus.)
Stercorarius pomatorhina. Pomarine Skua. (Lestris

pomarina.)

Podiceps griseigena. Red-necked Grebe. (Podiceps

rubricollis.)

70 SPECIES at the date of our inspection in 1872.
But, in a more complete List made in 1875, we made
out 151 species represented in the Archangel Museum —
all stated to have been procured in the ' GOVERNMENTS
of ARCHANGEL ' (v. p. infra, 218).

Amongst the more important of these may be men-
tioned the following (I have the complete list in MS.) : —

Otus vulgar is. Passer montanus (albino).

Otus brachyotus. Pyrrhula major.

Syrnium aluco. Carduelis elegans.

Pernis apivorus. Carduelis spinus.

Milvus ictinus. Linota exilipes.

Falco gyrfalco. Emberiza citrinella.

Fa Ico cesalon . A n thus p ratensis .

Falco tinnunculus. Budytes viridis.

Accipiter palumbarius. Cinclus aquaticus ? *

Accipiter nisus. Glareola pratincola.

Circus aruginosus. Platalea leucorodia.

Picus minor. Becurvirostra avocetta.

lynx torquilla. Himantopus candidus.

Cuculus canorus. Hydrochelidon fissipes.

Corvus monedula. Hydrochelidon nigra.
Lanius excubitor.

* E. E. Alston and I had another specimen sent by Piottuch in
1873, of Cinclus (up. ?) but which passed into the collection — I think
— of Canon Tristram.

VOL. I.

THE WHITE SI

(£eiLoe More)

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0 10 3O

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LCHAXGELSE

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PETCHOEA
1875

PETCHORA

1875

PAKT I

JOUENEY TO UST ZYLMA.

OUR preparations were most satisfactorily completed for
our journey to the Petchora by Wednesday, the 3rd of
March, 1875.

Our letters of introduction were of the very best. The
Russian Ambassador in London, Count Schouvaloff, had
furnished us with letters to the Minister of the Interior,
at St. Petersbourg, and to the Chief of the Customs at
Wirballen. Col. Colville also empowered us to call on
Lord Loftus and make use of his name, and Mr.
Dieckstahl's introductions and relationship with Count
Schouvaloff were also of considerable service to us, as
also was Lord Derby's letter to the Russian Embassy.
We had also an introduction to M. Jessen, of the Foreign
Office in St. Petersbourg, which we obtained through the
kindness of Prof. Newton.

I started from London at 7.40 a.m. on the morning of
Wednesday, the 3rd of March. The country around
London had a coating of snow, and the weather was all
that we could desire.

213

214 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

I crossed the Channel from Dover to Ostend, and — for
the second time in my life — suffered a little from mal de
mer. My train spun over the flat land of Belgium, with
its small clumps or rows of tall poplars or lines of pollarded
willows, its white or yellow and red-tiled farmhouses, its
narrow frozen ditches and canals ; and I arrived at Cologne
at 11.35 p.m.

Here Seebohm met me as arranged, and by the
judicious assistance of an official we had no difficulty
with our 2 cwt. 1 Ib. of luggage. This custom house
being cleared, we shall now have no trouble to expect all
the way to St. Petersbourg. As I had had only a cup of
coffee and slice of bread at starting this morning, a bit of
bread and cheese at Ostend, and a sandwich at Nervier,
I was able to do ample justice to-night to cold meat, etc.,
and a bottle of Hockheimer.

March 4.

On Thursday, the 4th of March, we left Cologne at
7.5 a.m., and arrived at Hanover at 1.52 p.m. Here we
stayed a couple of hours, and dined with Dieckstahl at
his house. So we had an opportunity of thanking Mrs.
Dieckstahl for her kind assistance with letters to her
cousin, Count Schouvaloff, and to her cousin at the
Russian frontier, the chief of the custom house, M. de
Pisanko.

All the country from near Ostend, as far as we have
gone, is hard frozen, but there is little snow. We saw
various parties skating on the overflowings of the rivers
and shallow rain ponds.

At Berlin we drove to the Hotel Victoria, where,
according to appointment, we met Dr. Peters, introduced
to me by Dr. P. L. Sclater. He gave us a letter to M.
Brandt, of St. Petersbourg. We dined, and left Berlin
at 10.45 p.m.

Up to Berlin the railway carriages were heated with

HENBY SEEBOHM.

To face page 214.

PRTCHORA 215

charcoal pans, shoved underneath the seats, making the
atmosphere most disagreeable and suffocating. After
Berlin the heating was by hot-water pipes, which are
much better, but not good either. To-night we had a
temperature inside the carriage of + 15° Reaum., and
outside — 4° Reaum.

March 5.

On Friday, the 5th of March, our journey still con-
tinued. We found at Warlubien more snow ; and a sledge
at the station. The snow had evidently lain a long time.
We crossed the Weichsel (Vistula) River, which was
frozen hard, with hummocky ice-heaps hurled in grand
and wild confusion by some former sudden break-up of
the frost, now again consolidated.

Near Konigsberg the arm of the Baltic was one smooth
sheet of snow-covered ice, and people were out upon it,
fishing or skating, we could not tell which at the distance.

At Wirballen — thanks to our powerful letters to the
chief, M. de Pisanko, from the Russian Ambassador and
from Madame Dieckstahl — we had no trouble with our
luggage, not one package being opened, and scarcely a
question asked.

To Vilna we travelled with another of the staff at
Wirballen — M. Alexr. Mikailoff — and went first-class in
order to secure his company, but found the carriages not
so comfortable as the second-class, and awfully stuffy.
There was keen frost and much more snow now.

March 6.

At noon on Saturday, the 6th of March, the thermo-
meter was at — 12° Reaum. in the shade. We arrived at
St. Petersbourg about 10 p.m., the train being more than
an hour late, owing to the tyre of a wheel breaking
between Berlin and the frontier. Seebohm's agent met
us here, and — leaving our luggage to come in the

216 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

hotel 'bus — we drove off in a capacious sledge for the
Hotel d'Europe (Gostinitza Klee), where we supped, had
a warm bath, and went to bed.

March 7.

On Sunday, the 7th of March, we went to see the fair,
as it was the last day of a great Kussian feast. We found
it much like a fair anywhere else in the world in general
appearances. The ice-slide was kept up with great vigour,
and afforded much fun to large, densely-packed crowds of
Russians and others.

The handsome horses, also, of the private sledges —
black, of the Ukraine breed, with long flowing tails and
cropped or uncropped manes — were alone worth seeing.

The racing sleds, of which we saw a few, with one of
these fine animals in each, are driven, even in crowded
streets, at a spanking pace, the driver holding each rein
in one hand, with outstretched arms wide apart. The
racing takes place on the ice of the Neva, in a large
circular space enclosed with planks. As they are to take
place next Sunday we do not expect to have the oppor-
tunity of seeing them.

Numerous booths, with mountebanks, swings, circular
' Eide-in-the-rings,' etc., were closely studded over the
open ground where the fair is held, Eed and white
bladders, sold on the ground, were cut adrift and,
singly or in bunches, were to be seen floating away
before the gentle east wind at immense heights, to drop,
perhaps, in the Baltic or much further west. A Eussian
crowd is always, I believe, a merry, good-natured one,
and I was surprised to see so few drunken people.

We saw also the interior of a church attached to the
fort, and witnessed a service of the Eussian Church in

St. Isaacs— the 'heathen worship of God,' as Mr.

Seebohm's agent, who accompanied us, called it. It was
certainly a strange sight, with the bowing the forehead

PETCHORA 217

on the steps of the altars and before the shrines, the
kissing of innumerable painted images of saints, and the
pressing of foreheads against the lips of these senseless
images. The wild intoning of the priests, the eager,
often bloodless, upturned faces of the worshippers as they
prayed and crossed themselves, made a scene which was
scarcely imposing, but curious and sad, according to our
ideas.

As we could not deliver our letters to-day or get any
business done, we gave it up to sight-seeing and enjoying
ourselves. It is Mr. Treeck's birthday, so we are to join
this evening in a merrymaking at his house.

We dined at the table d'hote, and got a fair dinner at a
moderate price. The table d'hote is the least expensive
item of hotel expenditure in St. Petersbourg. Then, after
dinner, we adjourned to Mr. Treeck's house to spend the
evening.

March 8.

On Monday, the 8th of March, we were up at a quarter
to ten, and went to the Museum, where we saw Herr
Brandt, Herr Schultz, and some of the assistant curators.
We saw two specimens of Middendorff s Sabines' Gulls,
shot on the island St. Pauls, of the Aleutian Group, but
we were not able to see his Siberian specimens, which
were not unpacked. There can, we think, be no reason
to doubt the accuracy, however, of his records, although
we should have liked to examine the specimens.

We learned also that the Curator of the Museum at
Kazan — Herr Polzam — was at the Petchora last year, and
made general collections, which are now in the Kazan
Museum. We obtained his address with the view of
writing to him. He has not yet published anything about
his journey.

Middendorff was at Archangel four years ago in
summer, also at Kola, but he did not collect at the

218 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

former place, and only stayed two days at the latter. He
made a complete catalogue (or bare list) of the birds in the
Archangel Museum, which we are to copy out to-morrow
at the Museum here (see antea p. 209).

We then walked through the Hermitage and Picture
Galleries. One picture by a Russian artist — Ivanofsky —
struck me as wonderfully executed. It was a large piece
of canvas representing a large raft and human beings
tossing about on a strong sea at sunset. It is nearly all
cloud and wave and sunlight, but the rendering of the
hollow green transparent wave with foam on top and the
dripping water from the half -submerged end of the raft,
and the red glory of the reflected rays of the setting sun,
are beyond my power to describe. Then, besides the
pictures, examples of Raphael, Murillo, etc., there are the
wondrous vases of malachite and lapis-lazuli, and other
stones, etc., occupying the centre of the grand lofty
halls, and much more which I need not describe here.

Then, after lunch at the hotel, we went to the frozen
market, accompanied by one of our acquaintances of last
night, one of Mr. Treeck's clerks, who has been most
kind and obliging in assisting us all this morning.

Here we purchased fifteen Waxwings,* with a view to

* SPECIMENS OF Ampelis garrulus.

S. 1. Ampelis garrulus ? St. Peter sbourg frozen market.

Sex ? J. markings on wings. Wax medium

size. No wax on plain secondaries. None

on tail. Upper tail coverts dark chestnut.
2. Ditto $ V. marks. WTax large. None on plain

secondaries or tail. Upper tail coverts dark

chestnut.
S. 3. Ditto $ I. marks. Wax small. None on plain

secondaries, but rudiments on tail. Upper

tail coverts dark chestnut.

PET CHORA 219

carefully sexing them and arriving at conclusions, if
possible, in regard to their sexual differences in plumage.
Here also we saw whole pigs frozen hard, chopped up
with an axe into joints as required, and an immense
variety of fish, flesh, fowl, Hares, Koedeer, Hazel Grouse,

B. 4. Ampelis garrulus $ J. Wax small. None on plain
secondaries. Rudiments very slight on tail.

B. 5. Ditto $ V. Wax large. On plain secondaries.
Rudiments on tail. Central tail feathers with
Wax. Upper tail coverts dark chestnut.

S. 6. Ditto $ V. Wax large. On plain secondaries.
Rudiments on tail. Upper tail coverts dark
chestnut.

B. 7. Ditto $ I. Wax small. None on plain second-
aries. On tail. Upper tail coverts dark

*- J-
chestnut.

Besides the above seven specimens we sexed three
more, all also males. The following is a description of
these three: —

A. $ I. Wax small. None on plain second-
aries. None on tail. Upper tail coverts
dark chestnut.

B. $ V. Wax large. None on plain second-
aries. None on tail. Upper tail coverts
dark chestnut.

c. <? V. Wax large. None on plain second-
aries. None on tail. Upper tail coverts
dark chestnut.

Of the above ten specimens all are $ 's, and all have
the upper tail coverts dark chestnut. Some, the younger
males, have simple I. marks on the primaries, others
have the J. marks (or the I. marks beginning to return),,
and the very old birds with the V., or fully-returned white,
on the primaries. We await a series of $ 's for comparison.

220 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

and other game, and quantities of dried mushrooms strung
in bunches.

In the evening Ernst Craemers — my old friend of the
Archangel trip — dined with us at the table d'hote. He
has got our Samoyede dresses, coats, caps, gloves, and
felt boots.

March 9.

On Tuesday, the 9th of March, we called and saw
the Minister of the Interior, his Excellency General
Timascheff, who promised us by this evening a letter to
the Governor of Archangel.

In the Museum we examined specimens — types ? — of
Sylvia middendorffil and also of S. eversmanni, and took
their diagnostic characters, as in the footnote.*

We bought six sheets of the Archangel Government
General Map, also the ' Kusten gebirge Pae-choi,' in
two volumes.

* Phylloscopus borealis Blasius. Phylloscopus sibilator.

2nd and 6th about = 2nd and 4th =

Bastard primary trifle longer

than wing coverts — shorter —

W.C. more tipped with white — less —

Edges of primaries greenish-
brown — bright yellow

Phylloscopus viridanus (=P. mid-
Phylloscopus superciliosus ? dendorffii Meves).

17th August. 8th June.

Large Bastard Primaries do.
2nd primaries £th inch less

than longest Quite a quarter of an inch

Shorter bird longer —

Smaller bird larger -

Yellow comes round the nape not —

Pliylloscopus coronata.
Bastard primaries longer than wing-coverts.
2nd primaries T\ths shorter than 4th.
About = in size with S. eversmanni.
Larger than Ph. middendorffii.

ON THE ROAD TO MEZEN (WINTER). NEAR UST PINEGA

(See page 247.)

To face page 220.

FETCH OR A 221

We skinned and dissected six $ Waxwings. We await
a series of females.

Ernst brought us our Samoyede dresses complete.
They are wonderfully hot and ugly, but practical.

We engaged Mr. Martin, the English Commissionaire
here, for to-morrow forenoon (Pilley, whom we employed
in 1872, being dead), and hope to get through much
business, as he seems a sharp fellow.

Evening came, but no letter from His Excellency.
He is an absent-minded man, and has most likely for-
gotten all about it ; but we will get it to-morrow or
perish in the attempt.

In the evening Mr. Treeck and Mr. Belliss accom-
panied us to sundry coffee-houses, where we drank tea or
wine or beer, and smoked — a stupid amusement, and one
which must very soon become profoundly monotonous,
not to say hurtful to one's stomach !

March 10.

On Wednesday, the 10th of March, Martin— the Eng-
lish Commissionaire — and I drove first to M. Sidoroff's,
but missed him. I will call again in the afternoon.
Then, after some trouble, we found M. Shovin, Sixth
Street, House 21, in the Pesky, and he gave me the
address of the manager of the sawmill at Archangel — in
the matter of Piottuch. I left a card for Dr. Ficssen,
and bought sundry things we required.

Martin, who has been twelve years in St. Petersbourg,
distinctly said that the right pronunciation of a certain
word is ' telega,' and not ' tschelega,' as Mr. Rae upholds.*
Also ' paderojna,' not 'paderostni.'

We left St. Petersbourg at 7.15 p.m., after dining at
Mr. Treeck's and getting many a ' gluckliche reise.'
Mr. Treeck and Mr. Belliss saw us off.

* ' Land of the North Wind,' q.v.

222 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

March 11.

On Thursday, the llth of March, we arrived at
Moscou at 11 a.m., and went to the Hotel Berlin. We
breakfasted, and with the Commissionaire ' did ' the
Kremlin and viewed the city from the bastions or belfry
of the highest church.

The cold is 15° Keaum., but I am not oppressed with
it in the least. The dreadfully warm houses and heated
carriages on the railway easily account for the extra
muffling up of the Eussians. In Scotland or England,
with this cold, sportsmen would go out shooting at the
covert-sides simply in tweeds. I, as yet, have not worn
gloves, and I freely expose my hands and ears without
inconvenience. The air is very dry.

At St. Petersbourg I got a paper upon Kolguev, which
gives all the information known at present. It is in
Kussian, but we shall have it translated for us at Arch-
angel.

We left at night for Jaroslav and Vologda.

March 12.

We arrived at Jaroslav at 4 a.m. on Friday morning,
12th March. The carriages were awfully stuffy and close,
and I got no sleep. We crossed the frozen Volga on a
sledge to the other station, and left at 10 a.m. We
arrived at Vologda at 12 p.m., two hours late, owing to
a breakdown.

We telegraphed to M. Vorakin, at Vologda, that we
should be at the Golden Anchor (Zolotoi Lakor), and he
sent his man up and brought us to his own house, which
we did not immediately discover, as no one spoke any-
thing but Euss.

We had some idea to-night of what fast sledging is on
a cold starry night. It is only the exposed skin that
feels it.

FETCH OR A 223

March 13.

On Saturday, the 13th of March, we remained at M.
Vorakin's house all day and made full arrangements for
our sledge journey.

We took a walk in the town, and saw innumerable
Jackdaws, Hooded Crows, and Tree Sparrows, and one or
two Eavens and Magpies.

March 14.

The morning of Sunday, the 14th of March, was cloudy
and warm when we left Vologda, at 8.15 a.m. We have
a roomy sledge with hood, which belongs to a gentleman
in Archangel, and for the use of which we are charged
nothing.

As a sledge journey — though it was new to us — soon
becomes monotonous, I can but give the itinerary of our
route from a list of the stations which is furnished to
travellers by the stationmaster. ' Paderojnaya ' are now
not required, the list answering every purpose. We got
all our luggage stowed away, but as our journey proceeded
we made various changes for the better.

Leaving Vologda at 8.15 a.m., the thermometer being
at 16° Fahr., we sledged merrily along by the side of the
Volga, arriving at the first station at 10.15 a.m., and at
the second station at 1.30 p.m. The roads were bad,
and one of our three horses broke down and had to be
taken out of the sledge. The third stage was fast and
merry, and we finished it at 3 p.m.

The fourth station was reached at 5.20 p.m. Hitherto
we have had three horses abreast, but here, owing to the
narrower road, two of the horses were put in front. We
left at 6 p.m., and arrived at the fifth station at 8.20 p.m.
Our horses were now placed tandem fashion.

It is snowing, the snow-flakes formed of innumerable
minute six-rayed stars, each ray beautifully feathered.
Later, when the snow became denser, the spaces between

224 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

the rays became partially filled up, and the rays, in con-
sequence, less feathery.

We reached the sixth station at 11.20 p.m., in the
moonlight.

We reached the seventh station on Monday, the 15th
of March, at 1.45 a.m., the eighth at 4 a.m., and the
ninth at 7 a.m. The stationmaster here was drunk, and
we found Seebohm's bearskin rug missing ; it must have
fallen out of the sledge.

The tenth stage, along a beautiful road through pretty
country, with pine forests on either side and undulating
country around, was finished at 10.20 a.m.

On the eleventh stage, which brought us to 12.45 p.m.,
our * yemstschick,' or driver, was a most energetic old
fellow, and most liberal in his terms of abuse to his
horses or to other yemstschicks who did not get out of
his way. On arriving at the station also he continued
his garrulous talk, and apparently quarrelled with all
about the place.

March 15.

We reached the twelfth station at 3 p.m., and the
thirteenth at 6 p.m. Here we got eggs, Eussian butter,
some more bread, etc., in addition to our supplies, and
made a good meal. We left at 7.30 p.m., and arrived at
the fourteenth station at 9.30 p.m., and the fifteenth at
12.45 midnight.

March 16.

On Tuesday, the 16th March, we reached the sixteenth
station — Slovodka — at 4.30 a.m. For the second time our
sledge-runner came loose, and some time was lost in
having it hammered up again. It was a beautiful morn-
ing. At this place is now being held a great triannual
fair. We found a baker here from Hesse-Cassel, who
spoke German, the only one we have yet met who could
speak anything but Buss. We had half expected to meet

PETCHORA 225

my old friend Birse here, but his last letter showed that
he had changed his mind and would meet us at a much
later stage of our journey. We reached the seventeenth
station at 7.45 a.m.

Along the eighteenth stage, which ended at 11.15 a.m.,
we saw Crossbills, a great Spotted Woodpecker, a Jay,
and Marsh Tits.* We arrived at the left bank of the
Dvina, and for some distance drove along close above
the river, which bore a solid mass of ice covered with
dazzlingly white snow.

We saw a flock of Snow Buntings on the nineteenth
stage, which we accomplished by 2.15 p.m. We reached
the twentieth station at 5.15 p.m., and the twenty-first at
7.15 p.m., when we stopped for dinner.

March 17.

I have no record of the time of reaching the twenty-
second station, but we arrived at the twenty-third at
1.20 a.m. on Wednesday morning, the 17th of March, at
the twenty-fourth station at 4 a.m., the 25th at 6.30 a.m.,
and the twenty-sixth at 8.45 a.m. During the last two
stages, having had our traps better arranged, we both
managed to sleep comfortably. The weather continued
warm and cloudy, and the roads were a little soft.

We saw distinctly a white-winged Crossbill (a green
$ ) and other Crossbills on the twenty-seventh stage,
which ended at 10 a.m. We reached the twenty-eighth
station at 12 noon, and the twenty-ninth at 2.30 p.m.
Here we found that the Government horses were all out,
taken by post. We bargained for three others at three
roubles — not an overcharge, judging from my former
experience between Suzma and Archangel, in 1872.

* The skins of the Marsh Tit obtained by us on this expedition were
considered to be of the Siberian form by Messrs. H. E. Dresser,
Howard Saunders, and H. Seebohm, when our collections were gone
through at Sheffield in September, 1875.

VOL. I. l6

226 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

The thirtieth stage brought us to Suja, at 5.15 p.m.
Here we got a letter from Birse, and telegraphed to him
the time of our departure, and he is to meet us nearer to
Archangel.

We left Suja at 6 p.m., and arrived at the thirty-first
station at 8 p.m. On this stage we had a capital driver,
who accomplished the long run of twenty-seven versts in
five minutes less than the two hours — by far and away our
quickest stage. To encourage, or urge on his horses, he
kept up a continual noise, and imitated the short bark of
wolves. We crossed and recrossed the Dvina more
than once, and finally crossed to the right bank for the
last time. We arrived at the thirty-second station at
10 p.m., and the thirty-third at 12 midnight.

On Thursday, the 18th of March, at 2 a.m., we reached
the thirty-fourth station, and the 35th at 4.10 a.m.,
with the thermometer at zero Fahr. We reached the
thirty-sixth station at 8*30 a.m., thermometer at 16°
Reaumur.

We met Birse at Uima, which I recognised as the
place we once stopped at when coming down the river
from Cholmogory. After a nip of cognac we sledged on
merrily for Birse's house, and arrived at Archangel
about noon.

March 18.

We saw the following birds along our route from
Vologda to Archangel : —

Hooded Crows were very common at all the stations.
They were very tame, feeding almost exclusively upon
what could be found in the droppings of cattle and
horses. They were in beautiful plumage, with the
rays of the black star on the breast very distinctly
defined.

Jackdaws were equally abundant with the last. They
had very white collars.

P ETC HO R A 227

Tree Sparrows were very plentiful, replacing the House
Sparrow completely as we proceeded north.

Of Magpies there were at most of the stations a pair,
but they became apparently commoner northward.

Ravens were nowhere seen abundantly, but occasional
pairs were seen at Vologda and along our route.

Yellowhammers were very common along the opener
parts of our route.

Crossbills were very common in the wooded parts,
perching on the topmost twigs of the pine-trees.

White- winged Crossbill. I identified one green bird
very distinctly, the white bar being very conspicuous. I
have little doubt we saw many more, but the light was
a difficult one in which to identify small birds at any
distance.

Bullfinches were common on the skirts of the pine-
woods, and feeding — generally in pairs — on the droppings
on the road.

. Marsh Tits were not uncommon on the edges of the
pine-woods.

A Jay was seen during our eighteenth-nineteenth stage,
and another near Suja.

Great Spotted Woodpecker. Several seen crossing the
road.

Willow Grouse. Four or five were once seen, and were
scarcely distinguishable from the pure white snow upon
which they were sitting or running.

Coal Tit. Seebohm saw one about the middle of the
journey.

A large raptorial bird was seen, but not identified.

Grosbeak. I saw what I felt almost certain was one of
this species.

At different places we observed Eookeries ! in the
villages and towns, as at Vologda, and particularly along
our first and second day's stages. We were not able to

228 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

ascertain if these were formed by the Common Kook, or
if the Hooded Crows breed here in colonies, but further
north these colonies of nests became scarcer, and finally
disappeared.

With regard to the scenery along our route from
Vologda to Archangel, there is not much to be said in
its praise. At a few points the road certainly was pretty,
as it wound in graceful curves amongst the tall pines, and
glimpses occasionally given to the right or left over an
undulating, almost hilly country, similarly wooded, relieved
the monotony.

Of Kussian villages, all that need be said is that they
closely resemble one another. There is a broad road
though some, on each side of which the houses stand with
their ends or gables to the road ; whilst in others the road
swings abruptly round corners and plunges down a steep
hill, and the houses are dotted about in a more irregular
manner.

After reaching the Dvina the scenery improves a little ;
the noble snow-covered river is backed with clay or earth
cliffs on the further shores, which are crowned by the
dense pine-forests.

Travelling without ' paderojna,' and being supplied by
the stationmaster with a list of the stations and distances,
paying at the rate of three kopeks per horse per verst for
three horses, we found little or no difficulty, and the
people were honest.

It is advisable always to carry small money, as change
is not usually to be had along the route.

Our luggage was packed partly under the driver's seat
and partly under us as a seat during the day, and at night
we levelled the place over by taking out some from under
the seat and placing it where our feet had been during
the day. Thus we could stretch our legs to the full
extent, and we slept well generally. I experienced no

PETCHORA 229

inconvenience whatever from the cold, and found the
' malitsa,' or Samoyede ' shoub,' a perfect protection.
The boots were admirable, and so also is the cap for use
during the night, but during the day I preferred my otter-
skin cap, made from the pelts of otters killed at Dunipace.

March 19.

On Friday, the 19th of March, we saw some 80 birds
of Piottuch's, none of which, however, were very valuable.
We then called and saw my old friends, Nathalie
Andrevna Leitsoff and Mr. Shergold, and met Mrs.
Craemers.

We had an interview with Graf Wilczek's guide,
Katzoff by name, whom we hope to engage for our trip.
He told us that we must go to Mezen, and take the south
route after to Ust Zylma, as in going direct from Pifiega
there is difficulty in procuring horses. He says that
about the middle of May the snow melts at the Petchora,
and that the ice breaks up on the river at the same time.
This is the average time (Old Style). It takes four days
(of twenty-four hours) to go down the river in a boat, and
eight days back with contrary wind, by towing. From
Ust Zylma to Pustozersk is 220 versts, and to Kuja
80 versts further — 300 versts. The islands up the river
are never flooded. Birds breed on all the islands of the
Petchora and on the Ussa from the beginning of June.
Trees follow the course of the rivers and their tributaries
all the way to their mouths. On the islands are smaller
trees and brushwood-willow. On the Timanski Tundra
there are plenty of Samoyedes in summer. Small boats
can go from Kuja to the islands of the delta in the
beginning of June, but vessels do not enter the Petchora
till the beginning of July. There are horses and winter
roads all the way frorn Ust Zylma to Kuja — two days'
journey. He advised us that the latest time to start

230 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

from Archangel for the five days' journey to Ust Zylma
is the 1st of April, Old Style— 12th of New.

It is not colder at Kuja than at Archangel. There are
not many birds on the outer islands, but plenty on the
Timanski Tundra and peninsula. The tide goes to
Pustozersk. The river falls to its ordinary level in
August. Keindeer in summer go 30 versts per twelve
hours if a herd be taken and they are changed frequently.
In winter (with sledges) they go 210 versts in 24 hours.
We can get white bread, beef, mutton, milk, cranberries,
tea ; besides fish and reindeer, at almost every village on
the Petchora.

The water on the Great Tundra is good, coming in
streams from the lakes. People do not cut the hay on
the islands. Sidoroft's steamer is 120 feet long and of
85 horse-power.

It is better to go vid Mezen. There is swampy
ground near Zylrna, on the Mezen route, 240 versts,
where new huts are built. Food for the journey from
Mezen to Ust Zylma should be taken from Archangel.
It is two or three days' journey from Archangel to
Mezen.

Flax-tow and cotton- wad can be had at Ijma. Sidoroff
has stayed at Bouligan's house at Ust Zylma.* A good
house in Kuja is Gregory KoriapanofFs. From Ust
Zylma back to the porterage between the rivers Zylma
and Pe'za takes about three days.

Such was a summary of the information we received
from Katzoff, which we found very good.

We hope to see Mr. Schmidt, his present employer,
to-morrow at Solombola, and, if possible, arrange to secure
his services for four months.

We saw also a priest who has lived among the Samo-
yedes in the Ural, east of Petchora, and he will call
* The house we ourselves occupied later.

ON THE ROAD TO MEZEN (SUMMER). KULOI RIVER.

(See page 248.

To face page 230.

FETCH OR A 231

to-morrow evening, when we hope to get still more
information from him.

Kae has had some £60 worth of old silver purchased for
him in Archangel by Mrs. Birse. Some of it is very
curious and rich.

Mrs. Craemers came in the evening, and we had a long
chat about Carl and his prospects. The eldest son, whom
I have not yet seen, is engaged to Miss Giernet, a sister
of the lady who accompanied Alston and myself on our
trip to Suzma in 1872.

To-night the temperature was — 20° K. equal to —16°
below zero of Fahrenheit.

March 20.

On Saturday, the 20th of March, we called upon
Mr. Schmidt, and it became quite certain that we cannot
obtain Katzoff's services.

We saw the chief priest of the Archangel Cathedral,
Father Inokentia, who at one time resided for seventeen
years among the Sarnoyedes, at Kolva, on the Ussa, up
to 1847, and who made sundry trips to the Ural whilst
engaged in converting (?) the Samoyedes. Castren, the
Swede, stayed a long time with him at Kolva. Schrenk
botanised on the Ussa towards the Ural, and Keyserling
was as far north as Pustozersk.

Speaking of the Petchora, he agreed with Katzoff as to
the 1st of April (New Style 12th), being the best time to
leave Archangel, and he stated that the journey would
take seven days of hard travelling. The end of May
(middle of June — New Style) by boat from Ust Zylma. We
shall be able to shoot at Ust Zylma by the end of May,
that is, when the snow leaves the higher ground. Forests
are not extensive at Ust Zylma or Ijma. The latter
place, which is very little flooded, is a better place to stay
at than Ust Zylma. Only the west side of the river a.t

232 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Ust Zylma is flooded. There is only small brushwood at
Kuja, and rather larger at Pustozersk.

With regard to the islands up the river, he says they
are always flooded, thus differing from Katzoff, who states
they are never flooded.

Speaking of the return journey, it appears that the
only way to get back from Kuja is by boat at the end of
summer, and that from Ust Zylrna to Archangel is a three
weeks' journey, of which fourteen days are taken up by
the route between Ust Zylma and Mezen.

We may not reach Kuja until the 20th of June (New
Style) if we wait at Ust Zylma during May. For it is
quite impossible to go by any route from Ust Zylma to
Kuja during the month of May, that is, after the
break-up of the ice and snow begins, until the river is
open. The end of April (10th of May, New Style) is the
latest time we can go by the winter route from Ust
Zylma to Kuja.

The Hooded Crows first appear at Pustozersk at the
end of March (10th April). Magpies are the only birds
that winter there.

Speaking of the Tundras, Father Inokentia says that
the Upper Tundras — those nearest the sea — are more
difficult to work, but he thinks it is possible. The
Tundras are cut through with many small rivers and
lakes, with rocky, marshy, and also dry ground. The
Northern Tundras are good for birds.

The water on the Tundras is ' beautiful/ and the
Petchora water very good.*

Kafiin, Tiruan, and the Great Tundra towards Novaya
Zemlya are the three places resorted to by the Samoyedes
in summer. The Timanski Tundra is also thinly populated
by Russians.

Many geese — 2,000 ? — are caught alive on the lakes of
* This we found to be true,

PETCHORA 233

the Tundra, about the 10th of July, for the sake of the
feathers, down, etc.

The island of Kolguev is inhabited by Samoyedes, who
are employed by the Kussians at Pustozersk as shepherds
for their Reindeer. There they live a nomad life in tents
all the year round.

There are many idols — ' Kaye ' — on Waigatz, but also
some at different places on the other Tundras.

The word Samoyede means ' eat alone,' not ' self-eating'
(vide Richardson's 'Polar Regions').

Petchorit is a hard stone.

To-night the temperature was — 26° Reaum.

March 21.

On Sunday, the 21st of March, we saw a young fellow
— by name Urpin — who has been several times to the
Petchora, and has been as high up as Ust Zylina. He told
us that in the delta the hay is cut about the 15th of
August, or earlier; that the vegetation there springs
up very rapidly if the ice goes quickly, but is often
delayed by north-east winds in spring and June ; that
there is usually fine weather in June and July, rain in
August; and that we shall be able to sleep in the tem-
porary houses on the delta.

Speaking as to the river, he said that in July the winds
are variable; that Sidoroff's steamer cannot always go up
to Ust Zylina, by reason of the shallowness of the water ;
and that he himself took a week from Kuja to Ust
Zylma, with tacking and two days' favourable wind.

As to the North-East Tundra, he mentioned that he
had been wrecked on the coast between Varandai and
Kuja, 15th-27th August, and travelled a short distance
over the Tundra. It takes a couple of days' boat
voyage on the average from Kuja to Varandai. In
August he saw few, but some very small, ' Kuleeki,'

234 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

a name applied generically to small Sandpipers, and
plenty of Ducks and Geese. Also Snow Buntings.

Speaking of wages, he asked 250 roubles for the four
months, April, May, June, and July. He gets 300 roubles
for his whole summer's work, but cannot take less than
250 from us, as he would lose his permanent chance of
employment. An engagement he may have with Sidoroff
also may clash.

We also saw a man named Eichter, now clerk with
Schmidt, formerly with his own vessel, going often to
Petchora, who accompanied Heinke about fifteen years ago,
and seemed to be acquainted with several birds by their
Latin names. Most of our time to-day was taken up
with these and other preparations, and visits to the
Museum, the silversmith, etc.

This evening the temperature was only —11° Eeaum,
but felt very cold with wind. At mid-day it was —9°
Keaum.

March 22.

On Monday, the 22nd of March, the morning tem-
perature was — 9J Reaum.

We have named Piottuch, ' Cock-sure Piottuch ' ; he is
so awfully sure of his own infallibility, but he is an honest
good fellow for all that. We found him a 'cute hand at
a bargain, and spent some hours this morning over his
engagement. Seebohm, who dubbed him, said ' He
wishes to be " cock-sure " now.' All went pleasantly,
however, and we arrived at the following bargains : —

1. Piottuch wants 500 roubles, or £70, for the whole
four months.

2. We agree, if he will guarantee —

700 skins of his own doing ; to give him 400 roubles.

900 ,, ,, ,, ,, ,, 450 ,,

1,100 „ „ „ „ „ 500 „

If he gets more still, we only give the 500 ,,

FETCH OR A 235

And we guarantee 700 birds. This is at the rate of half
a rouble (Is. 6d.) per skin. We consider we are treating
him handsomely, but he knows he will have to work hard
in return, and 500 roubles being the full sum we will pay
him, he is bound to guarantee us 1,100 skins for that sum
and as many more as he can skin.

Katzoff we cannot engage, nor do we think it advisable
to take any other man. Had we taken another he would
cost us 300 roubles. But we can get men at Petchora far
cheaper and quite as good. Except Katzoff, who cer-
tainly is a most superior man, and would have been
invaluable to us, we cannot hear of another.

March 23.

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday, the 23rd and 24th
of March, in Archangel, and on the Tuesday we went to
the market and bought some requisites, tow, cotton, shot,
two small barrels for spirits — cognac, and arrack, etc. —
and I purchased some old silver at 4s. 6d. per oz. and a
few kopeks over, viz., chain and cross, 8J roubles ; clasp,
2 roubles ; set of four sleeve-links, 2 roubles ; cross,
1 rouble ; and cross, 2 roubles 50 kopeks.

The following are some of the prices of provisions in
Archangel : —

Beef, 80 k. in winter, 10 k. in summer ; Capercaillie,
50 k. each in winter, 25 k. in autumn ; Hazel Grouse, 30 k.
per pair in winter, 25 k. in autumn ; Hares, at present,
20 k. in winter, 8 k. in autumn ; butter, 20 k. ; white
bread, 12 k. per Ib. ; English rolls, four to the English
lb., are 3 k. each ; black bread, 2 k. per Ib. ; salmon, 40 k.
per Ib., sometimes 25k.; 'krinke' (about a quart), of
milk, 3 k. ; cream, 12 k. per bottle, 1J pint ; 100 fathoms
of firewood — the average allowance of annual firing in a
small family — 70 roubles.

The German Club in Archangel contains a handsome

236 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

ball-room — its floor of polished wood — with card, reading,
billiard, and dining-rooms opening off it, and is much
frequented in the evenings, especially in winter.

Outside is a good ice slide, upon which Seebohm and I
ventured to-day for the first time. Birse played a trick
on me, raising the sledge and shooting me down the
slide in a most undignified manner, minus the sledge. I
felt it cold behind.

Ladies in St. Petersbourg and Archangel can go down
in these sledges in a standing position, and Mrs. Birse
is one who does it well, I believe.

The beginning of the slide is at an angle of 45° and
about 20 feet high, the top at either end being reached
by a flight of steps. To steer, the slider requires to wear
thick gloves, and, sitting on the sledge, to steer right or
left by placing his hand on the ice on that side to which
he desires to go ; or, by lying on his stomach, steer with
his feet.

March 24.

The thermometer was in the morning of Wednesday,
the 24th of March, at 10° Keaum., and by midday rose to
8° Keaum., the weather being bright, clear, and quite
warm.

We called this day upon the Vice-Governor, with
whom we had a pleasant interview, and he promised us
two circular letters (duplicates) to the Ispravniks of the
towns and villages along our route. Also at the same
time, Carl Ivanovitch (Charles Birse) met the chief
medical police-inspector, who kindly promised to assist
me in procuring trustworthy medical information about
the Samoyedes.

The Vice-Governor distinctly stated that, ' without
exception,' the birds in the museum here were all shot in
the Archangel Government.

P ETCH OR A 237

I shot a Hawfinch yesterday in the German Cemetery.
Its feathers were perfectly loose, and carne off in showers.
No disease was observable. It had been feeding on rye,
or some grain picked up at the foot of the windmills.

The Common Sparrow in Archangel supplants the Tree
Sparrow, though in the villages southward to Vologda
and to Kargopol(on the St. Petersbourg route) the latter
bird seems to be the most common.

March 25.

On Thursday, the 25th of March, we examined, with
Mr. Shergold, a collection of mineralogical and geological
specimens — 2,500 of them numbered, and say half as
many more unnumbered — belonging to a widow, Mrs.
Katzoff, collected by her late husband. They were
principally Siberian, and many of them were once in the
Imperial collection (we were not supposed to be too
curious as to their present possessorship or how they were
come by). Many are also from various parts of the
world. They are catalogued with dates (?) and localities,
and the collection is complete as originally formed, none
having been parted with. Mrs. Katzoff wishes to part
with them, and when a Latin catalogue — the present one
being in Euss — is made out, I have promised to write to
England about the sale of them.

March 26.

On Friday, the 26th of March, a Samoyede came, from
whom we got the following information, Mr. Birse trans-
lating for us : —

His Samoyede name is Parmi, named from a Cape in
Kanin. His Euss name is Andre. He has a small
moustache and imperial, straight black hair, and typical
features. His age is above 50 (i.e., according to the
Eussian way of counting, ' in the sixth ten ' ) .

We got him to sing, a most monotonous chant. The

238 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

subject of the song was that they would go with Keindeer,
choose the four fleetest Bulls, and lead the party, and go
and get vodky ; also that they would go and barter, and
hoped not to be cheated in their bargain.

They have traditions, and can relate matters regarding
the possessor of any old choom. Parmi himself remem-
bered his grandfather on his mother's side.

They have a chief residing in the Ural Mountains, but
Parmi has never seen him, and does not even know his
name. This chief is answerable to the Emperor for
tribute. If the chief's son is worthy he is elected to
succeed ; but if not, another is chosen by ballot, putting
chips of wood or any small article into a ' pimugh ' * (the
Samoyede box) or other receptacle.

They have had many battles amongst themselves.
These were caused by want of food in hard seasons,
when, as far as we could gather, might becomes right.
Sometimes individuals * run amuck,' like Malays, and are
then said, or believed, to be possessed by a devil.

As to illness, if it happens that God so smites them, it
is God's will, and no cure is applied. They have no
doctors, and use no medicinal plants, but they apply
goose or swan fat for frost-bites. Some Christianised
examples still cut themselves with knives, imagining that
they are possessed by devils.

As to their idea of religion, if they make a promise to
one god, and then again to another, then neither god will
believe them.

The twelve months of the year have each a separate
name, and they speak of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, or 4th quarter of
the month.

They count up to a million. 'One' is 'opoi,' 100 is
'your.' After 100 they say 'one above 100,' thus:
'your vota opoi.' 1,000 is ' your-your.' 10 is 'you',
* Or pimi ? The ugh is guttural.

PETCHORA 239

and 9 is ' habe you,' ' habe ' meaning (that) ' before
the ten.'

Parmi has heard of an unchristianised Samoyede east
of Fetch ora with seven wives. These are kept apart in
separate chooms.

A man is seldom seen among them of Birse's height,
say 5 feet 11 inches.

Parmi seemed easily and readily to understand how to
exchange words of Samoyede and Russian, and we had
no difficulty in writing down a few corrections and
additions to our former vocabulary received from Father
Inokentia.

After about an hour of this questioning we all dressed
in our furs, etc., Birse, Piottuch, Seebohm, and myself,
and sledged with the Samoyede' s Reindeer across to
Moses Ostrov, where, in summer three years ago, Alston
and I, found many Terek Sandpipers. Getting on snow-
shoes we stayed some time there, but all we shot were
two Northern Marsh Tits and one Mealy Eedpoll. The
Reindeer — eight in number — in two sledges were females,
and small. Parmi possesses about fifty Beindeer, which
are at present at the choom, about fifteen versts from
Archangel.

March 27.

Saturday, the 27th of March, was a somewhat idle day.
I bought two more crosses for which I paid 4 roubles 16
kopeks.

March 28.

On Sunday, the 28th of March, Mr. and Mrs. Birse and
Seebohm and I drove over to a village on the near islands
of the Delta, and there met two Miss Kelsons, English
ladies long resident in Archangel.

Seebohm and I went out for a couple of hours on
snow-skates, and shot a Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, three
Redpolls, and two Bullfinches.

240 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

We then lunched at a peasant's house, and after
lunch the party drove 5 versts further to old Nicholai's
village — Pustoidvor. We found both him and Jacob ;
and Nicholai's wife treated us to tea and milk. I found
the photograph of our party in 1872 hung in a. place of
honour amongst the family images and ' gods ' in the
corner.

We drove home about six o'clock, and the Miss Kelsons
dined and spent the evening with us at Mrs. Birse's.

March 29.

On Monday, the 29th of March, two Samoyedes came,
but we did not get much information either at the house
or at the museum, where we took them to look at the
birds. One of them had been ten years on the Timanski
Tundra, and at the mouth of the Petchora.
We got from them the following names of birds : —
Oystercatcher — Veterinit za (Kuss) .
Kuleek or Sandpiper — Suilar.
Willow Grouse — Hondje.
Goose (?)— Yebtan.
Black Goose — Parden Yebtan.
This last species goes East of Ural Mountains to breed.

Two species of Swans — Chauarl.

The smaller species is, they say, scarce, and only seen
in autumn ( ?)

They mentioned that the Swans first haunt the small
woods on arrival about the 15th of May. Hinged Plover
are found on Timanski Tundra and sandy coast, and the
Snowy Owl on the Tundra.

April 1.

On Thursday, the 1st of April, Nicholai called and we
tried to enter into an agreement with him about collect-
ing eggs ; but he was very greedy and we could not come
to terms at all.

PETCHORA 241

He wanted for eggs of Eagles — ' Oreol ' — 50 kop. per

egg-

For Yellow-breasted Buntings, 10 kop. per egg and nest,

and bird 20 kop.
For * Kooksha ' — Siberian Jay — 1 rouble per egg, 30 kop.

per bird.

For * Yastrib '—Hawks— 50 kop.
For ' Sovee ' — Owls — 50 kop.
For ' Diattil '—Woodpeckers.
For ' Jouravil ' — Crane.
For ' Sveerastil ' — Waxwing.

And we excepted Tschaike (Gulls), Kraevke (Terns),
Ootke (Ducks), Drosd (Thrushes), Lastitchke (Swallows),
Varabe (Sparrows), Verone (Hooded Crows), Galke
(Jackdaws), Golube (Pigeons) and Serouske (Kedpolls).
He wanted 20 roubles to account, then asked 10 roubles,
and finally came down to half a rouble (begged, in fact)
but I told him he was so greedy we would give him
nothing. This is, however, always the method of trying
to make a bargain !

The photographs are on the whole a success, though
the group is not nearly so good as our summer one of
1872. In ' Schoub ' mine is fair, but bad in ' Malitza.'
Seebohm's are much more successful.

April 2.

The following are the birds we have observed about
Archangel : —

House Sparrow. Not the Tree Sparrow at all, though
it is the commoner species in the villages between
Vologda and Archangel. At a village on the Delta of the
Dvina, which we visited on Sunday last, only House
Sparrows were seen.

Hooded Crows are very tame, and feed in the market-
place quite amicably along with the pigeons,

VOL I. 17

242 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Pigeons are in large flocks in the market-place, where
they are fed by the market people, and are very tame.
They look like Kock Doves, they have two black bars on
the wings and white on the rump, and some appear some-
what larger than others. The white on the rump is
absent in some.

Jackdaws and Ravens are common in the town.

Magpies, which are not uncommon in the town, are
now being shot for feathers for ladies' hats in St.
Petersbourg.

Marsh Tits are common.

Redpolls are not, apparently, so common as the last.

Bullfinches are still less common, but may be more
abundant in the pine- woods.

Waxwings. A peasant from Ijrna brought some alive
to the town, and said they were amongst the first caught
alive here. He wanted 8 roubles per pair, and of course
we did not buy. We are told that these birds remain up
to the end of November.

White-winged Crossbills. The same peasant had also
two of these birds alive, and Piottuch has two.

I got the following birds from Piottuch :—

1 Purple Sandpiper Is.

1 Hazel Grouse 2s.

1 Spotted Crake 2s.

1 Goshawk 4s.

2 Rustic Bunting at Is. 6d 3s.

1 Hawk Owl 2s.

3 Pipits at Is "... .- 3s.

17s.

The following is a rough calculation of our estimated
expenses out and back from Archangel. The items are
exactly calculated and a margin allowed besides : —

PETCHORA 243

To Ust Zylma, 900 versts, at 13

kopeks per verst £20 = 150 roubles

Back by boats £20 = 150 „

Piottuch £45 = 325

Food £20 = 150 „

Boat and men £20 = 150 ,,

Sundries £20 = 150

£145 = 1,075

On Friday, the 2nd of April, we ran to see a fire which
had broken out in our quarter of the town, and which was
signalled from the watch-tower near the house. The
firemen arrived about the same time as we did. We
quickly occupied a commanding position up a tree, but
soon descended again, as the fire was not large enough to
make it worth our while to stop.

A thaw has continued for the last few days, the
thermometer being at zero on Thursday, and gradually
rising to + 2J° Keaum. of thaw.

April 3.

On Saturday, the 3rd of April, we called on Mr.
Kusanoff and Mr. Nartoft, and thanked them for allow-
ing Piottuch to accompany us. Mr. Kusanoff has only
just bought a house near Archangel, and arrived from St.
Petersbourg a few days ago. Mr. Nartoft is the manager
or managing partner at the Maimux Mills. Both were
most kind and pleasant. Mr. Kusanoff only spoke
Kuss, but Mr. Nartoft knew German. We were treated
to champagne and had about three-quarters of an hour's
chat.

Thereafter we kept an engagement at Mr. Gellerman's
at Solombola, at eight o'clock, and spent the evening
playing whist. These late hours and mixed eating and

244 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

drinking, we found to play much mischief with our
digestions.

April 4.

On Sunday, the 4th of April, the thaw still continued.
We got a carpenter to fit up the sledge with rings and
pockets, the former to pass ropes through to lash down
our heavy baggage, as it is dangerous to travel without
doing so.

Dr. Erschoff, Government Inspector of the Medical and
Surgical Department of the Archangel Government, called
to-day and gave us letters to his subordinates, a doctor at
Cholmogory, and surgeon-assistants at Mezen and at
Pinega, with directions to lend us every aid we may
desire, and in case of illness to take most particular care
of us.

Dr. Erschoff has also kindly undertaken to procure as
much medical information about the Samoyedes as
possible. He said that had he known beforehand of
our going to Petchora, he would have applied to the
Government for a grant of money specially to be laid out
in collecting all information on the Samoyedes. Seebohm
and I to-day received a letter from Mr. Dresser, enclosing
one from Mr. Henry H. P. Ho worth, of Eccles, Man-
chester, asking for information about the Samoyedes, and
for any collection of rude implements made and used by
them.

Dr. Erschoff also gave us some medical advice, and a
prescription for cholera or diarrhoea medicine.

Some White Sea fishermen came to-day to speak to
Mr. Birse about getting English rifle-barrels for their
seal-hunting. They were also interested in the ' pem-
mican ' supplied to the Arctic Expedition, and one of
them, who has considerable wealth in Keindeer and
roubles, said he would go as far as one hundred roubles
in experimenting if he could get a bag of it,

P ETCH OR A 245

The principal spokesman promised to get a large Seal's
skeleton during the next fishery, in about a month. He
wanted us to accompany him to-night to his village with
his sledge, and he would take us on to Mezen, but we
think it better to leave this for another occasion. He is
the possessor of Reindeer, and he offered to buy two
hundred at 4 roubles each if we brought them back from
Petchora.

April 5.

On Monday, the 5th of April, Herr Richter, who,
twenty years ago, accompanied Heinke and Graf Hoff-
mansegg to the Petchora, gave us some little information.
He told us that they collected there for twelve months,
and were three months at Ust Zylma. They secured the
services of a number of boys to collect eggs at the different
places they stopped at, especially at Kuja, where the
priest, Father Gregorie, greatly assisted them, and for
three years got the boys to collect eggs, which were sent
to Heinke or Hoffmansegg at Archangel.

Mr. Schmidt, of Solombola, who is well known to all
people along our proposed route, gave us a letter to a
person at Kuja, Gospodeen Aristarchus Ivanovitch
Koriapanoff, who knew Father Gregorie when he lived
at Kuja, and who may be able to tell us where he is
now, and also to introduce us to the new priest. Koria-
panoff is the principal man, the richest peasant, at Kuja.
He sends his Eeindeer to Varandai. We must, at the
earliest opportunity, send down this letter to him by the
winter road from Ust Zylma.

When Heinke and Hoffmansegg arrived at the Petchora
they were taken for ' Cholera-men,' and the people will
remember that they were so called if we speak of them.

They also got the men who keep the huts on the 240
versts of forest road south-west of Ust Zylma to collect
eggs.

246 TRAVELS OP A NATURALIST

Wherever we stop to collect it is advisable that we
should call for the priests, as they alone will be able to
get the boys to bird's-nest for us.

Viski was noted as a good place to stop and collect at.
There are numbers of small islands not marked in the
charts. There are high rocks on the Tundra, whence the
Samoyedes brought them eggs of two or three species
of Eagles.

The Indigo Kiver on the coast of the Timanski Tundra
is most easily reached by boat from Mezen. The rocky
banks and coast are a continuation of the Timan
Mountains.

Heinke and Hoffmansegg found on the Petchora all the
Gulls they found here at Archangel, and all they expected
to find. They did no writing, they only collected hard.

At Ust Zylma they found the Rustic and the Little
Bunting, and on the islands the Yellow-breasted Bunting.
On small rivers, which run into the Petchora between Ust
Zylma and Kuja (or the delta), they found a bird which
Eichter calls ' Evolga,' breeding in willow thickets high
up in bushes or willows — ' some red and some yellow ' —
about the size of a small thrush ; longer and narrower than
a thrush, but otherwise resembling them. It is rare, only
found on the Petchora; never seen at Archangel. The
nest is like a thrush's.*

All the islands are good for * Kuleeki ' (i.e., Terek Sand-
pipers), wherever small rivers run in and small bushes
or trees grow. Swans breed in the interior of the islands,
out of the track of the boats, in shallow marshes. Also
Cranes are common.

Eichter lost his vessel once at Varandai, and in conse-
quence it took him a month to reach Kuja from that ;
but if we get Sidoroff's steamer the run can be accom-
plished in a short time.

* We never could hear about this ' Evolga ' — ! !.

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P ETCH OR A 247

At Varandai,Kichter saw ' small Black Geese/ the young
unable to fly, and the old moulting and also unable to fly.

April 6.

On Tuesday, the 6th of April, we concluded our pre-
parations, including the purchase of a second sledge, and
left Archangel at ten o'clock at night. The Birses, Herr
Holla, and Franz Franzovitch Craemers accompanied us
8 versts to the first village, where we had tea. Songs
were sung, and at 1 a.m. we bade adieu to our kind
friends.

April 1.

On Wednesday, the 7th of April, between Kosgogorskaia
and Cholmogory, we saw two flocks of Snow Buntings,
and before reaching the next station, Ust Pinegskaia, we
saw another large flock and killed two birds out of it with
my stick-gun.

The road after Ust Pinegskaia passes through forests
and along the frozen Pifiega river for some distance. The
river banks rise about twenty feet above the water, and
both sides are clothed with forest consisting of spruce
fir and pine — the former here predominating — mingled
with larch, poplar, and birch. The only birds observed
were a few Crossbills which flew across the road. The
road was very bad, a deep rut having been worn by the
horses' feet during the fair-time at Pifiega, and the sledge-
way in consequence stood a foot or more above that level.

At Nijnaya-Palengskaia, the next station, a black dog
joined company with our sledges, and accompanied us all
the way to Mezen.

Our last station to-day, Leunovskaia, was reached at
11.15 p.m. after a tiresome stage of 23 versts, which
occupied no less than five hours.

We were travelling with two sledges, three horses in
our sledge and two in Piottuch's.

248 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Keen frost set in after the thaw, which, in ordinary
circumstances, would have facilitated our travel. But
owing to the deep rut in the centre of the road, and the
outriggers of our sledge being set rather lower than usual,
one of our runners was up on the sledgeway and one
down in the rut, and consequently the outrigger on the
low side ' scrunched ' through the hard snow and greatly
retarded the speed of the horses — acting, in fact, as a sort
of drag or brake.

April 8.

On Thursday, the 8th of April, we got over our next
stage more quickly, as the winter road lay for the most
part over the River Pinega.

Near to Kousonemskaia we saw Tree Sparrows engaged
in building their nests in the chinks of the houses. Here
also we saw the Common Sparrow, this being the only
village we have seen it in since leaving Vologda Govern-
ment. (In Archangel I have omitted to mention that we
observed a few specimens only of the Tree Sparrow.)

On the last stage before reaching Pinega we shot a
Great Spotted Woodpecker, and tried in vain to get at two
Siberian Jays. We found it, however, absolutely imprac-
ticable to attempt any work in the woods without snow-
shoes, and soon gave up attempting it.

At Pinega, which we reached at 2 p.m., we saw twenty
Samoyede sledges and about eighty Reindeer (at four deer
to each sledge). They were from Kanin. We left our
letter for the Ispravnik of Pinega, as he may possibly be
useful to us on our return journey.

Our route to Kuloiskaia, a 34 versts' stage, lay princi-
pally along the Kuloi River from near its source, on
the right bank, amidst beautiful scenery. A low range
of what Seebohm recognised as Oolite skirts the river-
side, and is covered with weird forest of lichen-covered
larches and pines and spruce. The tall larches were most

P ETCH OR A 249

prominent, and the spruce most plentiful. The road
winds sharply in and out among the trees and over or
round the undulations of the ground, becoming very
narrow at places, or, again, takes a straight course across
some open glade in the forest. In many places the river
was free of ice, and we could see that there was a con-
siderable current. A few Wild Ducks were haunting the
open water, and Piottuch made several vain attempts to
approach to within shot of them. We shot one Crossbill,
and found dead and partly eaten a Common Kedpoll.

We can easily picture the enjoyment of floating down
the Kuloi Eiver in a boat, lazily lounging on mattresses
and spring seats, as described by Mr. Bae in his ' Land
of the North Wind.' In summer the banks of the Kuloi
Eiver must be doubly beautiful.

Our next two stages — to Berezovskaia, 20 versts, and
to Ginsegorskaia (Malo-Nemungskaia), 24 versts — were
done in good time, and we slept soundly by the way.

April 9.

On Friday, the 9th of April, 1875, the runner of
Piottuch's sledge having been broken, we got it replaced
at Chejegorskaia, and breakfasted there. We left after
breakfast in company with a large number of Samoyedes,
doubtless en route for Kanin. We counted up to twenty
sledges, but more were still coming up as we drove out of
the town before them. It is possible that they may be
part of the same company that we saw at Pinega, but it
is, we think, scarcely likely that they could have overtaken
us with only the one complement of deer.

We soon entered a great forest bearing the marks of an
old conflagration, the gaunt barkless stems rearing them-
selves high above the younger growth of pine. Wind,
too, had had its share in the destruction, as every here
and there through the forest the upright roots of over-

250 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

thrown trees appeared, each bearing on its summit a cap
of the purest snow a foot or more in depth, adding con-
siderably to the great weirdness of the scene. It reminded
me most strikingly of one of Millais's pictures, in which
latter, however, the Eavens gave some appearance of life
to the scene absent here.

The only birds we saw during the long drive through
these great forests were a few Snow Buntings — one of
which was distinctly seen by us all to perch in a spruce
fir — and three Siberian Jays, and one fine old Capercaillie
Cock.

Passing for a time out of this vast forest tract, we
crossed a great level snow-covered plain, having here and
there a small stunted pine growing. Far as we could see,
right or left, in an easterly and westerly direction, the
plain extended, and before us, to the north, the forest
again appeared. We supposed that this great plain was
a swampy tundra in summer, doubtless with the delicious
Arctic Bramble growing upon it in abundance.

Once more entering the forest, we found the land again
uneven and even hilly in places — a remarkable contrast to
the unbroken surface of the plain we had just left.

About one o'clock we drove down a steep bank of the
Peza River, and rapidly crossed it to the last station
before reaching Mezen — Lompozhenskaia — where also
our route to Ust Zylma branches off. The Mezen is a
fine sweeping river, and in general appearance at this
point resembles the Dvina.

We arrived at Mezen at four o'clock p.m., seeing several
flocks of Snow Buntings, a number of Magpies, on one
occasion eight together, Hooded Crows, a few Eavens, etc.

Mezen is situated on the right bank of a ' kouria ' * of
the river. Eound the town is a bleak bare country without
trees, and the nearest forest appears to be on the further
* A ' kouria ' is a creek or backwater of the river.

PETCHORA 251

or western side of the river. The kouria begins its
existence in a marshy piece of ground above the town,
and continues about 10 versts to the sea. Opposite is
a long island, then another branch of the river, then
islands covered with small trees, and then the main
channel of the Mezen, with the far shore clothed in
forest. The total width is about 6 versts. At present
all is, of course, clothed in white, and it is impossible for
us to distinguish between the river and the low-lying
islands.

We unpacked all our luggage and took it into the
station-house, and in the evening we called upon the
Ispravnik — M. Taratin. He showed us Rae's photo-
graph, and gave us letters to the Ispravniks at Ust
Zylma and at Ijma. M. Taratin informed us that he had
heard of M. Polzam's visit to the Petchora last year,
and said that he collected principally fossils, but also a
few birds.

There are one or two fine flocks of Snow Buntings
close to the town, feeding apparently on the great waste
heaps of manure which are thrown out and form a steep
bank between the town and the kouria. There must be
many hundreds of pounds' worth of manure thrown away
here, unless in summer vessels come into the kouria to
take it away.

April 10.

On Saturday, the 10th of April, we shot a few of
the Buntings and bought another from a boy who was
engaged in snaring them, and we were told that a
fortnight later we could buy a hundred of them for
a rouble.

To-day we were invaded by numerous Mezenites, and I
arrived at the following useful conclusion for travellers : —
' Take as much luggage and as many curios as possible
on a long journey. There is infinite pleasure in having,

252 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

en route, to pack and unpack them for the edification
of those to whom we carry, and also of those to whom we
do not carry, letters of introduction.'

There is now a regular snowstorm, and it may be
advisable to delay our departure from to night till to-
morrow morning. But then there are still many
Mezenites who have not seen our hammocks and our
canteen, our ' fusils ' and our revolvers, etc., and we may
find it advisable to remain even yet another day. And
we are informed by the Ispravnik that there are 800
inhabitants in Mezen.

We watched the Snow Buntings to-day, and saw them
distinctly both run and hop. They uttered their tinkling
note as they flew overhead, drifting like snow-flakes
down wind or making their way against it with dipping
or butterfly flight.

The boy who was catching them set horse-hair nooses
fastened to a straight, or to a triangular set of straight,
flat boards, which he sunk in the snow or ground,
allowing only the nooses to appear above.

April 11.

We left Mezen at nine o'clock on the morning of
Sunday, the llth of April, and on arriving at the first
station — Lompozhenskaia — we found that we had dis-
tanced 'Cocksure P.' by at least 3 versts, and we had
to wait an hour for his arrival. He did not succeed
in selling his gun at Mezen, though he was offered a good
price — dG15 — and a muzzle-loading gun besides. His
breech-loading gun is 10 gauge, and he finds it difficult
to get cartridges.

On arriving at; the station he confessed to having had a
wee drop too much of (sweet?) champagne with his
Mezen friends last night, and certainly he looked very
1 katzenjammerisch ' this morning.

PETCHORA

253

Leaving Lompozhenskaia, we drove through a park-
like country among isolated groups of spruce, skirting
the denser forest on our left, and with willow bushes
between us and the Mezen Kiver on our right. In the
opener parts the sledging was smooth and good generally,
but bad when we entered the forests or willow-covered
ground.

On the river, as we crossed or followed its course for
some versts at a time, the sledging was also usually good.

In our third stage — between Zaozorskaia and Zheros-
kaia, and about 50 versts from Mezen — we plunged down
an almost perpendicular bank and dashed out upon the
Pe'za Kiver and crossed to the other side. The Peza here,
close to its juncture with the Mezen, appeared to be
about two-thirds of a verst in width. We expected to
make closer acquaintance with the Pe'za on our return
journey from Ust Zylma (a return journey which we
did not make!).

We observed the small boats which will probably be

our means of descending the Pe'za — scallop-shaped, with
rough cabins amidships.

As we passed on we found at the stations that the
natives turn out en masse to witness our arrival and
departure. We are evidently approaching less beaten
tracks, as their increasing curiosity shows plainly
enough.

254 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

At several points along the banks of the Mezen Eiver,
but perhaps most prominently between Jerdskaia and
Pogorelskaia, are singular red or dark purple cliffs of
what appears to me to be marl, crumbling into earth
in places and hardening into distinct rock-strata in others.
These cliffs are about a hundred feet high, more or less,
and are cut by gullies at regular intervals down to the

water edge. Apparently these gullies are caused by
surface water. The strata do not dip at the gullies.
Seebohm is of opinion that it is a red chalk.

Soon after leaving Pogorelskaia we came rather sud-
denly to grief. The thaw and fresh snow had softened
the upper crust on the road at places, and close under
a steep bank all three horses of our sledge broke through
and sank up to their bellies. Quite an hour was lost in
unharnessing them and getting the sledge on to a firmer
part of the road. We offered the four men each a small
drop of rum, and were somewhat surprised that two
of them refused to take it. According to all accounts
received we should judge that they are rare exceptions.*

Along our day's route we have observed that the
crosses by the roadside are much more numerous, far
more conspicuous, and more elaborately carved than
those usually seen by us south of Mezen. We hope
to have time yet to sketch one or two along with the
elaborate carvings, letters, figures, etc.

* They were probably " Old Believers."

PET CHORA

255

Many houses in the villages were richly coloured and
ornamented under the eaves,
principally in red, blue,
brown, and white jujube
spots.

The curious clumsy hinges
of the gates also attracted
our attention. The upright
post of the gate turns in the
hole in the block which is
firmly fixed in a strong sup-
porting post alongside.

We slept well during the
night, which was cloudy and
not cold; and at 6.15 a.m.
we arrived at Bolshannis-
sagorskaia.

April 12.

On Monday, the 12th of April, at Bolshannissagorskaia,
we found in the station-house the Government official

of whom we heard in Mezen (from M. Taratin, the

256 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

Ispravnik, and M. Bronza, the Polish priest), viz.,
M. Eosenthal, who is engaged in measuring M. Rusanoff's
co-accession of the Mezen forests, which extend to
14,000,000 acres of pine and other wood.

M. Rosenthal told us that at the next station fourteen
wild Reindeer had been shot lately.

Our list of stations now somewhat misleads us, and we
found two additional stations not in our list. Our list
and map are from the postal authorities at Archangel,
but the Ispravnik at Pifiega has, Piottuch says, changed
all the stations for his own amusement — son fantasie —
and that the other Ispravniks do the same. Possibly,
I think, the peasants bribe them and are so favoured.

At Celechenskaia we bought twenty Snow Buntings
for 10 kopeks. Here also we saw a couple of Samoyede
sledges and deer.

During the next stage we sledged as before up the
course of the Mezen River, from time to time diving
into the forest and cutting off the corners.

April 13.

On Tuesday, the 13th of April, soon after leaving Koina-
skaia, about seven in the morning, we drove through a
forest of immense larches — 120 to 130 feet in height — by
far and away the largest we have as yet seen in Russia.

After leaving Ledskaia we passed from the main valley
of the Mezen River to that of the Pischma, the Mezenski
Pischma (to distinguish it from the Petchorskai Pischma),
along the banks of which we saw magnificent spruce-firs,
rivalling in height the larches I have just mentioned.

M. Rosenthal had told us of a dangerous river on our
route, but he could not name it nor point it out on our map.
We soon concluded that the Pischma was meant, as the
water had in many places risen above the ice and con-
verted the snow into deep half -frozen sludge, and at one

N
63 o

PETCHORA 257

place the runner of our ' pavoska ' passed within a few
feet of open running water.

At our next long stage of 32 versts from Vosjegorskaia
to Promorskaia, leaving the former at 3.30 p.m., we
experienced some trouble and delay. The fresh snow had
almost obliterated the track, and the driver of Piottuch's
pavoska, which was ahead, made a cast to the left,
and got through the sludge after a struggle. Our
heavier pavoska was not so fortunate, and our three
horses were soon floundering up to their bellies and quite
unable to move the pavoska one inch. As it was now
freezing, the sledge rapidly became frozen round the
runners and the ice had to be cleared off with the axe. Of
course we got out, and then the men and ourselves at last
succeeded in forcing up first one runner and then the
other. The horses were then yoked abreast, and after a
sharp hard struggle they at last bravely pulled the sledge
out of the ' slough of despond.' We lost nearly an hour
over this business, and for the 32 versts took six hours,
arriving at the hut-station at 9.30 p.m.

This is the first of the hut (or temporary) stations on
the 240 versts winter road (and dirty enough they appear
to be) between Nojgorskaia and Ust Zylma.

Again, on offering the men some schnapps, one refused.
1 Na peota tarn ' (' He doesn't drink '), the others said.

April 14.

On Wednesday, the 14th of April, our next stage, from
Skegmaskaia to Cheblaskaia, we named the 'Via Diabolica.'
We went at a fair pace through the forest, the motion of
our pavoska exactly answering the description given, I
think, by Erman ( ' Travels in Siberia ' ), who says it
cannot be more aptly compared than to the motion of a
heavy boat in a chopping sea. The thumping of the
runners on the uneven track, and the lurching from side

VOL. i. 1 8

258 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

to side, or the up-and-down motion, most closely
resembled the noise and unsteady heaving of the bows as
they fall from the crest of one wave on to the side of the
next, whilst the ' scrunching ' of the outriggers finds its
parallel in the rushing noise of the water under or along
the sides of the boat. Shut one's eyes and imagine a
great sea instead of a forest, and the deceptive feeling is
complete.

The men in the hut-stations seem to occupy their spare
time in making nets and playing draughts on rude boards
made by themselves on their wooden benches. These
huts are dirty unwashed places, and some of the men
appear to be the very types of dirty Kussians. Only four
horses are kept at these forest-huts, and in consequence
we had some difficulty in getting on, especially as the
post from Ust Zylma was already en route.

The 2.0-3.30 p.m. stage was a laughable one. One of
the horses in Piottuch's sledge jibbed a good deal, and at
last got off the hard track into the deep snow. I awoke
from a nap, and beheld poor Piottuch's sledge prostrate,
and Piottuch and the men struggling in the snow up to
their waists. Piottuch, who sleeps immoderately, looked
•completely as if he had been caught napping. After the
sledge was righted the horse managed to pitch its rider
head first again into the soft snow. No one was seriously
hurt, and Seebohm and I laughed until tears ran freely.

Shortly after this episode we crossed the Jam Lake,
from which, I believe, both the Pischma rivers flow ( ? ) . It
is a pretty extensive sheet of water, about three versts
long by two wide. The sunset at its far end was fine.

The next stage, over tundra and through forest in
alternate belts, the former rather exceeding the latter, we
sledged at a merry pace. Fifteen degrees Eeaum. had
rendered the roads wonderfully firm, and we had a clear
moon — and star-lit sky.

PETCHORA 259

April 15.

We had keen frost during the night which ended on
Thursday, the 15th of April. Seebohm felt additional
comfort and warmth from a pair of my Shetland
stockings, pulling up above the knee. These are certainly
excellent for a sledge journey. My eyelids got fast
together for a second or so, but did not cause any
inconvenience.

At Umskaia, in some tall bare larch-trees close to the
hut, we distinctly saw Snow Buntings, five or six in
number, fly from one tree to another, and alight, and this
repeatedly. To put all beyond a doubt I shot one from
the top of one of the trees with my stick-gun. We think
we remember some one * being severely criticised in the
' Zoologist ' for mentioning the Snow Bunting's perching
habits.

We found here only two horses ; and we have still two
long stages — of 33 and 21 versts — to Ust Zylma. At
10 a.m. Piottuch went off with the two in order to fore-
stall the post, and we arranged to follow with two others
which will have arrived and rested by that time.

We shot here five Siberian Jays, four Bullfinches, five
or six Eedpolls, and a Snow Bunting. The note of the
Bullfinch here is louder and harsher than our birds, and
that of the Redpolls appeared more Greenfinch-like than
ours.

Pushing on at twelve noon, we got horses more easily
than we expected at the next station.

On our last stage we passed down a part of the Pet-
chorskai Pischma (not so treacherous as the other) on to
the Zylma River, and crossed the Great Petchora, I singing
aloud (roaring rather than warbling ! ) in the joy of my
heart, and Seebohm sitting higher out of his malitza,
adding an inch — if not a cubit — to his stature, as being
* Myself, I think, and as long ago as 1860 !

260 TRAVELS OF A NATURALIST

the first English traveller who had gazed on the long
straggling town of Ust Zylma, in Siberia-in-Europe.

We drove up to the house of a rich peasant, M. Alexi
Bouligan, where Piottuch was awaiting us, and where (as
old Purchas says) rooms were * appointed to us to dwell
in.'

Later, M. Znaminsky — the Ispravnik — called, and it
was late before we got off to sleep. Our luggage is still
in great confusion, but to-morrow we hope to get things
more ship-shape.

April 16.

We spent most of Friday, the 16th of April, with M.
Znaminsky, took coffee and dined with him, etc., and
afterwards got our many packages of luggage etc.,
arranged. We have two large rooms at 10 roubles
per month, which includes samovar and water, but our
cooking, etc., is done outside.

UXWIN BROTHERS, LIMITED, THE GRESHAM PEESS, WOKING AND LONDON.

BIOLOGY
LJSRARf

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY