214 LAPLAND BUNTING. 



Novaya Zemlya, whence it has not yet been recorded. It is only at 

 considerable elevations, such as the Dovre-fjeld in Norway, that it is 

 found breeding to the south of the Arctic circle ; but east of the 

 North Cape it is common in Lapland, while in Northern Siberia it 

 is extremely abundant, being, according to Mr. Seebohm, not only the 

 commonest but also the most widely-distributed bird on the tundras. 

 In Asia it migrates further southwards than in Europe, reaching to 

 about 30° N. lat. in China ; whereas it is rare in the south of Russia 

 and in Northern Italy, and as yet unknown in Spain. In Cen- 

 tral Europe its occurrences are accidental, but further north they are 

 naturally more frequent, and are regular on Heligoland in autumn. 

 In America this species breeds throughout the far north ; wintering 

 in South Carolina, Kansas and Colorado. 



Swampy moorlands — beyond the limit of forest growth — with 

 their tussocks of grass and stunted willows or birches, are the 

 favourite summer-haunts of the Lapland Bunting, but occasionally it 

 inhabits dry and bushy spots. The nest, built early in June, is placed 

 in a hollow of some little mound or grass-clump, and is made of 

 dr)^ bents and roots, with a thick lining of feathers, which at once 

 serves to distinguish it from those of the Red-throated Pipit and 

 other birds frequenting such localities. The eggs, 4-6 in number, 

 are pale greyish- or reddish-brown, spotted, blotched and slightly 

 scrolled with darker shades of brown: average measurements '81 by 

 •58 in. The song of the male is generally uttered on the wing ; the 

 bird rising from his perch on some low bush, and hovering above it, 

 like a Tree-Pipit ; but all song ceases as soon as the young are 

 hatched. The food consists of insects as well as seeds in summer, 

 and of the latter, with maggots &c., in winter. 



The adult male in summer has the crown black ; a broad white 

 streak extending backwards over each eye down the sides of the 

 neck ; hind neck broadly banded with bright chestnut ; back, rump, 

 wing-coverts and secondaries tawny-brown, with blackish centres and 

 paler margins to most of the feathers ; quills dull brown ; tail- 

 feathers dark brown, with long white patches on the inner webs of 

 the two outer pairs ; throat, cheeks, and breast deep black ; remain- 

 ing under parts white, wdth broad black streaks on the flanks ; bil) 

 yellow, with the point black ; legs black ; hind claw nearly straight, 

 and longer than the toe. Length 6'25 in. ; wing 3*6 in. The female 

 has the crown, ear-coverts and chestnut collar streaked with brown 

 and black; the upper parts are paler ; throat white, with an irregular 

 blackish gorget. The young bird is still duller in colour. In winter 

 both sexes have pale rufous margins to the upper feathers. 



