118 



met with in Lapland, wliere it breeds in some numbers locally on both 

 sides of the Russian border, generally in marshy ground overgrown with 

 dwarf willow. It is also numerous in Russian Lapland, north of the 

 coniferous belt, on the tundra. On Kolguev it is one of the commonest 

 birds, but is local on Wa'igatz, and only found in the south of Novaya 

 Zemlya. On the tundra near the mouth of the Petschora it is the com- 

 monest bird. To Iceland it is only a rare straggler, but specimens have 

 been shot in May on Jan Mayen and Franz Josef Land. 

 Nest. It is not uncommon to find several pairs breeding within a short 



distance of one another Avhere suitable nesting ground is limited in extent. 

 The nest is built on the ground, often in the side of a tussock, or under cover 

 of some dwarf shrub, like that of a Red throated Pipit; and is composed 

 chiefly of dead grasses and a little moss, with a lining of finer grasses, 

 sometimes reindeer or lemming hair, and apparently always a few feathers. 

 This last characteristic is generally sufficient to distinguish the nest from 

 that of the Red throated Pipit, which it otherwise much resembles. Height 

 of nest about 2 in., breadth about 3 i[- — 4 in., diameter of cup 2i in., 

 depth 1 1- in. The hen sits closely, but the presence and song of the cock, 

 which is generally to be seen on some adjoining hillock, discloses the where- 

 abouts of the nest. 

 Eggs. Generally 6, occasionally 5 in number, while 7 have been found. They 



are rather variable in colour, the ground colour ranging from greenish 

 grey to pale olive brown, with blotches and cloudings of darker reddish 

 brown (which in some cases almost obscure the ground colour) and worm 

 lines, streaks and spots of almost blackish brown. Occasionally eggs are 

 found which are undistinguishable from some varieties of eggs of A. cervinus, 

 while others approach those of E. schoeniclus, or even A. pratensis. 



Breeding In mid Norway full clutches may be taken in the first week of June, 



eason. |^^^ ^^ ^-^^ north of the country not till the middle of the month. In 

 Lapland about June 12 — 15 is the best time, and in Kolguev Pearson 

 found young on the wing early in July. 



Measure- Average of 100 eggs (36 by Rey and 64 by the writer) 20.67 X 14.96 



mm., Max. 23X16 mm., Min. 18x14.3 and 19.3X14 mm. An ex- 

 ceptionally large egg from N. America measures 23.5 X 17.1 mm., and 

 a dwarf 14 X 12.3 mm. (Rae). Average weight of 36 eggs, 149 mg. (Rey); 

 of 28 eggs, 142 mg. (Bau). 



59. Snow Bunting, Passerina nivalis (L.). 



Plate 14, fig. 17—21 (Greenland). 



Eggs: Thienemann, Fortpfl., Tab. XXXII, fig. 11, a — e. Hewitson, 

 I. Ed. I, pi. XI, fig. 2; II. Ed. I, pi. XXXVIII, fig. 1, 2; III. Ed. I, pi. XLVI, 



ments. 



