182 BIEDS OF NORFOLK. 



to tlie Zoological Society by Mr. Bell, but, imfor- 

 tunately, soon died, the transition from an aiiy out- 

 door aviary to tlie hot parrot-room in -wkicli it was 

 placed at the gardens, being scai-cely desirable for this 

 northern species. 



PLECTROPHANES NIVALIS (Linnseus). 



SXOW-BILNTIISTG. 



The Snow-Bunting is a regular winter visitant, its 

 niunbers, however, depending much upon the severity 

 of the season, appearing generally by the middle of 

 October, and leaving us again towards the end of March. 

 If the weather becomes very sharp theu' flocks are 

 increased considerably, and are then found on our open 

 heaths and warrens as well as by the sea-coast. Captain 

 Longe assures me that at Yarmouth he has fr'equently 

 seen them in winter pecking about in the road with the 

 sparrows, in front of his residence, not far from the 

 beach, and that when distui'bed they fly up to the 

 roofs and parapets of the houses with all the tame- 

 ness of their common allies. In describing their fii'st 

 arrival on our coast, Mr. Lubbock says, — " They 

 settle the instant they reach terra fii-ma, and often 

 remain for some time on the shingle of the beach, flying 

 a short distance and then aUghting in as close a body as 

 possible, so as to have, at a distance, the appearance of 

 a variegated piece of cai-pet;" to which I may add 

 the following graphic account of this species by Mi'. 

 Saxby (Zoologist, p. 9484), as observed by himself in 

 Shetland : — " Seen against a dark hill side or a lowerinsr 

 sky, a flock of these bii'ds presents an exceedingly 

 beautiful a^^pearance, and it may then be seen how aptly 

 the term 'snow-flake' has been applied to the species. 



