THE LAPLAND BUNTING. 20U 



are now seen about our shores in some cases so large that 

 they number many thousands of birds. These Snow Bunt- 

 ings, as they are termed, come in large flights to the Scot- 

 tish coast at this season of the year, and many of them fall 

 a prey to hunger and the fowling-piece.' 



Now winter stretches forth his icy hand, 

 And furious Aquilo impetuous blows 

 Southwards from far the Hyperborean snows 



Sleet, shower, and hail, and all their wintry band ; 



And with them from Spitzbergen's rocky strand, 

 "White as the snowflakes upon Scotia's cliffs, 

 With changed coat the storm- toil Bunting drifts, 



Wearied with rapid flight o'er sea and land. 



LAPLAND BUNTING. 



THE LAPLAND BUNTING (Plectroplianes Lapponica.) 

 The Lapland Lark-bunting or Lapland Finch is nearly the 

 same size as the Snowflake ; its proportions too are pretty 

 much the same. The male in winter has the top of the 

 head black, spotted with red, the forepart of the neck greyish 

 white with black markings ; there are two transverse white 

 bands across the wings. In summer, the top of the head, 

 the cheeks, foreneck, and part of the breast, are pure black, 

 the underparts white. This is another bird which is most 

 plentiful in high northern latitudes ; it inhabits the colder 

 regions of both continents, and migrates southward on the 

 approach of winter. Only four specimens are recorded to 



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