164 THE BUNTINGS 



Small aquatic animals molluscs and crustaceans are also eaten. The young 

 are fed by both parents on insects. [A. L. T.] 



6. Song Period. The song has been heard from the end of February to the 

 end of July (Brit. Birds, i. 370, C. and H. Alexander). Ussher and Warren give 

 it for Ireland as from March to July (B. of Ireland, p. 77). [F. B. K.] 



SNOW-BUNTING [Passerina nivdlis (Linnaeus) [Plectrophenax nivalis 

 (L.)]. Snowflake, snowbird, white lark. French, ortolan de neige ; German, 

 Schneeammer ; Italian, zigolo della neve]. 



i. Description. Distinguished from all the other buntings by the large 

 amount of white in the secondary wing feathers, and the great length of the 

 wing, which reaches nearly to the end of the tail. (PL 22.) The male, in 

 its breeding dress, is pure white, with the exception of the back, middle tail 

 feathers, bastard wing, innermost secondaries, and the terminal half of the 

 primaries, which are black. The legs and beak are also black. In birds which are 

 not fully mature, the major coverts of the primaries are black, but these gradually, 

 with age, become white, and the bases of the primaries similarly only gradually 

 become white, until only the terminal half of each feather is black. This pied 

 livery is the result of the abrasion of the dress assumed in autumn. After the 

 autumn moult the white areas of the upper parts are obscured by a rich rust red, 

 deepening to chocolate on the crown and ear-coverts, while the black feathers are 

 concealed by long tawny fringes. The white area of the wings is unaffected. The 

 two outer tail feathers are white save for a small terminal shaft-streak of dull 

 black, the antepenultimate feather is mostly black. But the amount of white 

 in the tail and of the tail-coverts varies considerably, probably with age. 

 The beak turns yellow, but the legs and feet remain black. Length 7 in. 

 [178 mm.]. The adult female contrasts with the male in having the upper 

 parts greyish brown, and flecked, rather than striated, with black; an 

 effect caused by the greyish brown margins of the dull black feathers. Often 

 there is a patch of rust red on the crown, and a similar patch on the ear- 

 coverts. The interscapulars and scapulars are dull black, each feather 

 margined with brown. The wing-coverts and inner secondaries are dull black, 

 with pale whitish brown edges, while the under parts are of a dull white. After 

 the autumn moult the female more nearly resembles the male, the feathers having 

 broad fringes of rust colour ; but she is always duller, and has dull black wing- 

 coverts, margined with greyish white, the white of the secondaries and tail is also 

 much less. Young females resemble the adult female. Young males in winter 



