210 A MIGRATORY BIRD. 



have been taken in this country. Dr. Richardson, in his 

 ' Fauna Boreali Americana,' describes them as breeding 

 in moist meadows on the shores of the Arctic Sea, the nest 

 being placed on a small hillock among stones and moss. It 

 is composed externally of the dry stems of grass, interwoven 

 to a considerable thickness, and lined very neatly and com- 

 pactly with dried leaves. The eggs, usually seven, are of 

 a pale ochre yellow, spotted with brown. This author 

 says : ' I never met this species in the interior of the fur 

 countries during winter, and I suspect that its principal 

 retreats in that season are on the borders of the Lakes 

 Huron and Superior, and in the country extending to the 

 westward in the same parallel.' 



Pennant, in his ' Arctic Zoology,' states that this species 

 is found in Siberia, and near the Uralian chain. Towards 

 winter a few migrate southward, as far as Switzerland ; 

 and M. Necker, in his papers in the * Transactions of the 

 Natural History Society of Geneva,' observes that this bird 

 had been occasionally taken with Larks in that neighbour- 

 hood. In the higher northern latitudes Capt. James Ross 

 reports that the Lapland Buntings are by no means nume- 

 rous, although they breed there. A nest with five eggs 

 was brought on board his ship in July 1830. 



In western wilds, and Lapland's icy wastes ; 



In marshy meadows by the Arctic Sea ; 

 In drear Siberia, where the captive tastes 



The bitterness of Russian tyranny, 

 Its summer home the Spotted Bunting makes ; 



And when the wintry blasts are loud and shrill 

 Unto more genial climes itself betakes, 



Where icy bonds stay not the flowing rill. 

 But seldom comes it to the British coast, 



Nor tarries long from its loved northern home, 

 Though driven here and there, and tempest-tost, 



'Mid whirling snow-drift, and far-flashing foam. 



