464 PLECTROPHANES NIVALIS. 



mottled with white and black. The three lateral tail-feathers, 

 and the proximal half of the outer web of the fourth, white ; a 

 black streak on their outer web, at the end, close to the shaft ; 

 the other tail-feathers black. 



Habits. — The earliest period at which, according to my note- 

 books, I have observed the Snowflake in the outer Hebrides, 

 was on Sunday, the 28th of September (1817), on which day 

 it is recorded that " on the ridge between Maodal and Ronaval 

 I saw a Snow-bunting, and in returning along the shore by the 

 low hills of Drimafuind saw another."' In another place, dated 

 Luachar, in Harris, I find the following statement. " Eagles 

 are very numerous here. The Snow-bunting is frequently met 

 on the hills in small flocks. I am told they are never seen in 

 summer." Nor have I ever met with them there beyond the 

 end of April. Yet the little flocks which I have often observed, 

 w^ere apparently family groups ; nor do these birds appear in 

 large congregations, such as we often see along the shores of Scot- 

 land and England. On the 4th of August 1830, being on the 

 summit of Ben-na-muic-dui, the highest mountain in Scotland, 

 I observed a beautiful male flitting about in the neighbourhood 

 of a great patch of snow. It was also seen by Dr. Greville at 

 the same time. Some days after, having descended from the 

 top of Lochnagar, to its corry, along with Dr. Martin Barry, in 

 quest of plants, I met with a flock of eight individuals, flying 

 about among the blocks of granite. They were evidently a 

 family, the male and female being easily distinguished from the 

 young. It is therefore very probable that the Snowflake breeds 

 on the higher Grampians ; and possibly in considerable num- 

 bers, although it is not likely that the vast flocks seen in the 

 lower grounds in winter are exclusively of Scottish origin. 



Mr. Audubon states that " the Snow Birds enter the eastern 

 portions of the United States sometimes early in November, 

 and remain in such parts as suit them best until the month of 

 March."' He further asserts that only a single nest of this spe- 

 cies had hitherto been found within the limits of the Union. 

 " It was seen by Wright Booth, Esq. of Boston, on a declivity 

 of the White Mountains of New Hampshire, in the month of 



