166 THE BUNTINGS 



as migrating, apparently due east, in mid-Atlantic, 45-50 N. lat., 15 W. long, 

 (cf. A. L. Butler, Ibis, 1904, p. 304). The snow-bunting is eminently a gregarious 

 migrant. [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. Nesting place : as a rule deep in some cleft of a scree or 

 heap of boulders on a mountain-side, but in the Shetlands in crevices in the sea- 

 cliffs. Nest : built rather carelessly of dry grass stalks and occasionally twigs 

 or moss, lined with finer grasses, a little hair, and many feathers of various 

 Alpine or northern birds. The hen has been observed to build the nest un- 

 aided (A. Trevor-Battye, Icebound in Kolguev, p. 107). Whether the cock ever 

 takes part is not recorded. Eggs, 5-6 as a rule in the British Isles ; varying in 

 ground colour from white to pale bluish or greenish, sometimes tinged with rufous, 

 and blotched, spotted, and striated with deep red-brown and underlying violet. 

 There is often a cap or zone at the big end. (PI. B.) Average size of 100 eggs, 

 86 x '63 in. [22-04 x 16-14 mm.]. Laying begins in Scotland about the end of 

 May and early in June. Incubation period 14 days, chiefly, at any rate, performed 

 by the hen. One brood, [r. c. R. J.] 



5. Food. Mosquitoes and other insects form the principal food of both 

 old and young in summer, but at other times the seeds of cereals, polygona, 

 etc., are eaten. The young are fed by both parents, but on what is uncertain. 

 [A. L. T.] 



6. Song Period. Not recorded. 



LAPLAND-BUNTING \Calcdrius lapponicus (Linnaeus). French, 

 bruant lapon ; German, Lerchen-Spornammer ; Italian, zigolo di Lapponia], 



i. Description. The male in breeding plumage has the crown sides of 

 head, throat, and fore-neck black, with a whitish stripe passing over the eye and 

 down the neck, the nape bright rust red. Scapulars and interscapular feathers 

 black, margined with rust colour. Median wing-coverts black, edged white. 

 Major coverts black, margined with rust colour, striped white. Inner secondaries 

 black, with broad margins rich rust colour ; tail quills are dark brown with paler 

 margins, the penultimate pair having a small wedge-shaped mark of white on the 

 tip. The under parts are white with a chestnut tinge, and black striations. (PI. 20.) 

 Length 6 in. [159 mm.]. The hen differs in having the head and throat dusky 

 brown, and is generally duller. She may be distinguished from the females of allied 

 species by the patch of dull rufous on the hind-neck, answering to the bright rust- 



