LAPLAND-BUNTING. 181 



Mr. Hunt, however, writing of the wood-lark in 1829, 

 says, " It was common at Hetherset previous to the 

 enclosure of the common lands ;" and no doubt to such 

 local changes its absence from these parts, at the present 

 time, is mainly attributable. 



PLECTROPHANES LAPPONICA (Linnaeus). 

 LAPLAND-BUNTING. 



On the 26th of Janua.ry, 1855, during extremely 

 severe weather, a specimen of this very rare bunting was 

 taken alive at Postwick, near Norwich. This bird, 

 probably the first ever known to have occurred in this 

 county, was brought to me soon after its capture, and 

 proved to be a young male in winter plumage. Unlike 

 most birds, when first confined in a cage, it seemed 

 perfectly at home, feeding readily on the seed placed for 

 it, and both in its gait and manner of looking up, with 

 the neck stretched out, reminded me of the actions of a 

 quail. In the aviary of Mr. J. H. Gurney this bird 

 assumed its fall summer plumage in the following 

 spring, and thrived so well in its new abode, that over- 

 feeding was probably the cause of its death in May, 

 1856, when, for the second time, it had acquired the 

 black head and plumage of the breeding season, and 

 was certainly a perfect lump of fat when skinned for the 

 purpose of preservation. The only other Norfolk specimen 

 of this bunting, I have either seen or heard of, was shown 

 me on the 14th of April, 1862, by the Eev. E. J. Bell, 

 then residing at Crostwick, which had been netted alive, 

 near Norwich, a few weeks before, and was gradually 

 assuming its summer plumage, having the black on the 

 head and throat imperfect, with a chesnut bar on the 

 nape of neck. This bird was shortly afterwards presented 



