40 SJJOW BUNTI^s'G. 



as the bird flies upward from the ground to the height of ten 

 or fifteen yards, then it raises its wings and drops slowlj 

 to the ground, uttering a tinkling, jingling melody which re- 

 calls somewhat the rollicking song of the Bobolink. 



Genus. SNOW BUNTINGS Plectrophenax. 

 Bill, a little longer than high at base. Wings, long and 

 pointed, reaching when closed beyond the middle of the tail, 

 which is slightly rounded and a little emarginate. Hind toe 

 nail long as in the last genus. Colors in summer black and 

 white, somewhat obscured with reddish in winter. We have 

 a single species. 



Snow Bunting. 

 Plectrophenax nivalis. 

 Piute IX, Fig. 1. 



Rather plump birds, with long, pointed wings. Colors, 

 mainly black and white. Adult in summer, white, with back, 

 tertiaries, outer central tail feathers and spots on outer webs 

 of the others, black. Female, similar, but with the colors ob- 

 scured with rusty and whitish. In winter the black is ob- 

 scured with whitish and rusty, and the white above with 

 rusty, and there is a more or less distinct collar of rusty on 

 neck in front. Bill, yellow ; feet black. 



Young birds are even more obscured with whitish and rus- 

 ty, there being a rusty collar on the neck in front, and the rus- 

 ty extends along the sides. Females are smaller, but similar 

 in coloration. 



