5]^4 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



visited Iceland in 1837, found the Snowbird breeding there in June. He 

 found tlieir nests phiced among large stones or in the fissures of rocks, com- 

 posed of dry grass lined with liair and feathers. The eggs were from four 

 to six in number. The male attends the female during incubation. Mr. 

 Proctor states that he has seen this bird, when coining from the nest, rise up 

 ill the air and sing sweetly, with its wings and tail spread in tlie manner of 

 the Tree Pipit. Linna?us, in his Tour in Lapland, mentions seeing these birds 

 in that country about the end of ^lay, and also in July. He also mentions 

 that this bird is tlie only living thing that has been seen two thousand feet 

 above the line of perpetual snow in the Lapland Alps. This bird also breeds 

 on the Faroe Islands. Mr. Hewitson found its nest in Xorway. It contained 

 young, and was built under some loose stones. Young birds have also been 

 noticed early in August among the Grampians, in Scotland, rendering it prob- 

 able that they breed in that locality, and perhaps in consideralile numbers. 

 As the severity of winter increases, they leave the heaths where they have 

 fed upon the seeds of grasses, and descend to the lowlands, frequenting the 

 oat-stubbles, and, when the snow is deep, approacliing the coast. Their call- 

 note is i:)leasing, and is often repeated during their flight, which they make 

 in a very compact liody. Before settling on the ground they make sudden 

 wheels, coming almost into collision with each otlier, uttering at the same 

 time a peculiar guttural note. They run on the ground with all the ease of 

 Larks, and rarely perch. Temminck states that they are ^"ery abundant in 

 winter along the sea-coast of Holland. 



Their appearance in jMassachusetts is usually witii the lirst heavy falls of 

 snow, in December and January. They are most abundant in the open 

 places near the sea-coast, and formerly were very numerous in the marshes 

 between Boston and Brookline. A wounded male in full adult plumage was 

 taken by me, in 1838, and kept some time in confinement. It would not 

 accustom itself to a cage, and a large box was prepared in which it could 

 run more at large. It fed readily on grain and cracked corn, delighted to 

 bathe itself several times in the day, but would not be reconciled to my near 

 presence. On my a]ii)roac]i it would rush abimt its prison, uttering its 

 peculiar call-notes, bhinding witli tlioin a loud guttural cry of alarm. As the 

 spring approaclied, it warbled occasionally a few notes, but uttered from time 

 to time such mournful cries, as if bewailing its captivity, that it would have 

 been released, had its crippled condition ]iermitted it to take care of itself. 

 It was given in charge of a friend, but did not live through the lieat of the 

 ensuing summer. 



It is stated that a nest of this bird was found among the White Moun- 

 tains by Mr. Kirk Boott, of Boston, in tlie summer of 1834. It contained 

 young birds. This, if the identification was correct, was probably an acci- 

 dental occurrence. None have been noticed there since, nor have I ever been 

 able to find any of the permanent residents among tiie mountains tliat have 

 met with these birds in that region, except in winter. 



