EMBERIZID.E. 175 



VVaxwIngs were shot in the neighbourhood of Buck- 

 ingham during the spring of 1867, as Mr. J. W. 

 Thorpe told me. 



Tribe — CoNlROSTRES. Family— Emberizid.^. 



Snow Bunting {Plectrophancs nivalis). During 

 the winter months this pretty species is not uncom- 

 mon in some parts of Scotland and in the northern 

 counties of England, but few comparatively are 

 observed in the more southern counties, except in 

 severe weather, when straggling flocks at intervals 

 make their appearance. As to its occurrence in 

 Berkshire, I have again to thank Mr. R. B. Sharpe 

 for a notice of one which was killed at Cookham. 



Mr. Joseph Ford, of that village, who is a clever 

 taxidermist, and takes a great interest in ornithology, 

 gave him a skin of the Snow Bunting in winter 

 plumage, which he had preserved ; but he could not 

 remember any particulars, except that the bird in 

 question was procured by one of the shoemakers in 

 Cookham. The skin is now in the collection of Mr. 

 Sharpe, who is quite satisfied of the authenticity of 

 the species. 



On the 14th of September, 1866, an early date for 

 this bird, I shot one of them close to the sea at 

 Hunstanton, in Norfolk. It was in that state of 

 plumage intermediate between the summer and 

 winter dress, and was exceedingly fat. 



