SNOW-BUNTING. / 



which the species is not known to have been observed — its 

 appearance in the south of both England and Ireland being, 

 however, far less frequent and regular than in the north. 

 Elevated moors and uplands generally are, almost equally 

 with the localities just named, a favourite resort, and when 

 these are covered with snow the birds descend to the lower 

 grounds where larger supplies of food are to be obtained. 

 " Their call-note is pleasing," remarks Selby, " and often 

 repeated during their flight, which is always in a very 

 compact body ; and frequently before settling on the ground, 

 they make sudden whirls, coming almost in collision with 

 each other, at which time a peculiar note is produced." So 

 close indeed do they fly that one of Thomson's correspon- 

 dents states that he had killed thirty at a single shot, and 

 they crowd together as much when they alight, so that Mr. 

 Lubbock likens the appearance of a flock at rest to "a 

 variegated carpet." Saxby writes " Seen against a dark hill- 

 side or a lowering sky, a flock of these birds presents an 

 exceedingly beautiful appearance, and it may then be seen 

 how aptly the term ' Snow-flake ' has been applied to the 

 species. I am acquainted with no more pleasing combina- 

 tion of sight and sound than that afforded when a cloud of 

 these birds, backed by a dark grey sky, descends as it were 

 in a shower to the ground, to the music of their own sweet 

 tinkling notes." Their food in winter seems to be chiefly 

 grass-seeds, so long as these are forthcoming, but on the 

 sea-coast near the Hurnber, it consists almost exclusively of 

 the seeds of Schoberia or Suada maritima, as mentioned by 

 Mr. Cordeaux, and the Editor is able to state the same fact 

 as regards the west of England from examples sent him by 

 Mr. Cecil Smith and examined by Mr. Hiern. On occasion 

 they will also eat corn — especially oats. Thompson states 

 that once in the north of Ireland they did great harm by 

 picking the sown wheat from the ridges, and Dr. Gordon 

 informs the Editor that they yearly do considerable damage 

 in this way on the shore of the Moray Firth. In America 

 "Wilson found them, in October, feeding not only on the seeds 

 of water-plants but on the shelled mollusks which adhered 



