LAPLAND BUNTING. 89 



Lapland Bunting. Cakarius lappo7iict(s (Linn.). 



Until recently the Lapland Bunting (Plate 38)^ which breeds 

 in high latitudes in both the Palasarctic and Nearctic regions 

 and winters further south, was looked upon as a vagrant to 

 Britain, even when the occurrences had exceeded fifty. But 

 the regularity of its appearance in autumn on the Shetlands 

 and other Scottish islands, and its frequency on our eastern 

 shores and in Kent, suggest that it is a regular bird of passage, 

 halting to rest or delayed by contrary winds, probably at a high 

 altitude, when on its southern migration. In the north it has 

 also been noted in spring. Occasionally it has been met with 

 in autumn and winter in inland localities and on the Irish 

 coast. 



The bird nests above the forest growth ; I have seen it in 

 the birch zone in northern Norway, where its black head, face 

 and throat, with the conspicuous white line from above the eye 

 round the cheeks, and the bright chestnut collar attracted my 

 attention. It is a ground feeder, though occasionally flying 

 into trees^ and has a long claw on the hind toe, more suggestive 

 of a pipit, but its conical yellow bill is that of a bunting. The 

 birds I saw had a loud, not unmusical call. Below the collar 

 the back of the male is brown, the feathers having dark centres ; 

 the outer tail feathers have long white patches. The under 

 parts below the black breast are white, striped on the flanks. 

 The legs and irides are dark brown. The striped head of the 

 female is chestnut, as are her ch'^eks and collar ; her under 

 parts are streaked. Young birds are duller in colour, and 

 adult birds in winter dress have the bright colours partly 

 obscured by pale margins to the feathers, which wear off in 

 spring. Length, 6*2 ins. Wing, 373 ins. Tarsus, '85 in. 



