COMMON SNOW-BIRD. 491 



mixture of dusky brownish-black, with grey, white, or bay edgings 

 to the feathers, the white edgings chiefly on the upper part of the 

 back. Wings and tail dusky, edged with whitish, the tail only 2 

 inches long, with the feathers pointed. Chin white ; sides of the 

 neck, breast, and flanks with dark pointed spots edged with bay. 

 Belly white. Inner ridge of the wings touched with pale yellow; 

 tertials very dark ; (the black predominates much more in this 

 than in the preceding species.) Legs pale flesh-color, the hind claw 

 long and sharp. Bill above dusky, below purplish, inclining to yel- 

 low, notched slightly near the point. — Male with more white on the 

 chin, breast, and sides of the face. 



Note. There is little doubt, but that the young of this species 

 is the F. hiemalis of Gmelin and Pennant, though the wing-coverts 

 are not edged with real white ; Wilson's name, however, must re- 

 main, as the Linnaean hiemalis is also a synonyme of the Snow-Bird. 



COMMON SNOW-BIRD. 



(Fringilla nivalis, 'Li's. {F. hudsonia) , W iLsoy , ii. p. 129. pi. 16. 

 fig. 6. [in winter plumage,] F. hiemalis, Audubon, pi. 13. Orn. 

 Biog. i. p. 72. Phil. Museum, No. G532.) 



Sp. Charact. — Bluish-black, inclining to grey ; belly and lateral 

 tail-feathers white. 



This hardy and very numerous species, common to 

 both continents, pours in flocks from the northern re- 

 gions into the United States aboat the middle of October, 

 where their appearance is looked upon as the presage of 

 approaching winter. At this season they migrate into 

 the Southern States in great numbers, and seem to arrive 

 in augmenting hosts with the progress of the wintry 

 storms and driving snows, before which they fly for food 

 rather than shelter ; for, even during the descent of the 

 whitening inundation, and while the frightful tempest still 

 rages without abatement, these hardy and lonely wander- 

 ers are often seen flitting before the blast ; and, seeking 

 advantage from the sweeping current, descend to collect 



