SNOW BUNTING 277 



lettuce seed that you can hardly save any. They get 

 sunflower seeds also. Are called " lettuce-birds " in 

 the books. 



SNOW BUNTING; ARCTIC SNOWBIRD 



Dec. 29, 1853. The driving snow blinds you, and 

 where you are protected, you can see but little way, 

 it is so thick. Yet in spite, or on account, of all, I see 

 the first flock of arctic snowbirds (^Emheriza nivalis^ 

 near the depot, white and black, with a sharp, whistle- 

 like note. . . . These are the true winter birds for you, 

 these winged snowballs. I could hardly see them, the 

 air was so full of driving snow. What hardy creatures! 

 Where do they spend the night? 



Jan. 2, 1854. A flock of snow buntings flew over the 

 fields with a rippling whistle, accompanied sometimes 

 by a tender peep and a ricochet motion. 



Jan. 2, 1856. Crossing the railroad at the Heywood 

 meadow, I saw some snow buntings rise from the side 

 of the embankment, and with surging, rolling flight 

 wing their way up through the cut. 



Returning, I saw, near the back road and railroad, 

 a small flock of eight snow buntings feeding on the 

 seeds of the pigweed, picking them from the snow, — 

 appariently flat on the snow, their legs so short, — and, 

 when I approached, alighting on the rail fence. They 

 were pretty black, with white wings and a brown cres- 

 cent on their breasts. They have come with this deeper 

 snow and colder weather. 



^ [Now called Plectrophenax nivalis.] 



