226 SNOW-BUNTING. 



in North America, Japan, Northern China, Turkestan, South Russia, 

 the shores of the Mediterranean, Malta, Northern Africa, and 

 occasionally to the Azores. It is of annual occurrence as far as the 

 central portions of Europe, but its visits south of the Alps are 

 exceptional. 



Near the southern extremity of its breeding-range the Snow- 

 Bunting builds in the " screes " or stony sides of mountains, but 

 in the Fseroes, Spitsbergen, and the high north, the nest is often 

 but little above sea-level, generally in some crevice behind or under 

 rocks and boulders, or among the piles of drift-wood which fringe 

 the shores of the Arctic Sea, though sometimes fully exposed. It 

 is formed of dry grass and moss, lined with a few hairs and many 

 feathers — especially those of the Ptarmigan ; the 4-6 eggs are 

 greyish-white, spotted and blotched with brownish-red and purplish- 

 black : measurements "86 by "62 in. While the female is sitting the 

 male utters a low and melodious warble, often hovering in the air ; 

 the call-note is a long-drawn tsee. In summer both young and old 

 feed principally on mosquitoes and other insects, but in autumn and 

 winter they live on seeds, and do some damage to newly-sown corn. 

 On the ground the Snow-Bunting runs with rapidity ; it also hops, 

 and has frequently been observed to perch on trees. 



The adult male in breeding-plumage has the mantle, inner 

 secondaries, terminal part of primaries, and the six central tail- 

 feathers, black ; the rest of the plumage mostly white ; bill, legs and 

 feet black ; hind claw shorter than its toe. Length 6"65 in. ; wing 

 4'4 in. In the female the head and neck are streaked with greyish- 

 black, and the upper parts are dull black, except the secondaries, 

 which are chiefly white. In autumn the bird (as figured) has the 

 feathers of the upper parts broadly edged with pale chestnut, and 

 the bill yellow with a black tip : in this state it has been called the 

 "Tawny Bunting." In winter the chestnut margins are abraded and 

 are succeeded by white. The j'oung bird is greyish-brown, with 

 darker spots on both upper and under parts ; a specimen is figured 

 in Messrs. Harvie-Brown and Buckley's 'Fauna of Sutherland &c.' 



Males of the introduced American Red-winged Starling, Agehnus 

 phafiiceus, have been captured in this country ; while Icterus 

 baltitnore has been recorded from the Shetlands (Zool. 1890, p. 457). 

 Attempts have also been made to swell the British list by including 

 in it escaped examples of the American Meadow-Starling, Stiirnella 

 magna ; the American Rusty Gxs.c'^Xe, Scokcophagiis ferrugitieits ; and 

 the Indian Mynah, Gracida religiosa. 



