SNOW BUNTING. 501 



this period, having scarcely acquired their winter's livery, 

 are, in consequence, nearer to the state of the tawny plum- 

 age. Afterwards, if the season should be severe, small 

 nocks are seen, principally consisting of adult male birds 

 in their winter's dress, but never in such numbers as those 

 in the two states first mentioned. As the severity of the 

 winter increases, they leave the heaths, where they have 

 fed upon the seeds of various grasses, and descending to 

 the lower grounds, frequent the oat-stubbles ; and, if the 

 snow lies deep, they approach to the coasts, where the in- 

 fluence of the sea-breeze soon exposes a sufficient breadth 

 of ground to afford them subsistence. Their call-note is 

 pleasing, and often repeated during their flight, which is 

 always in a very compact body ; and frequently before 

 settling on the ground they make sudden wheels, coming 

 almost in collision with each other, at which time a pecu- 

 liar guttural note is produced. They run with ease and 

 celerity, like the Lark genus, and never perch on trees." 



These flocks, diminished by separation and other causes, 

 are seen in Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk, sometimes on 

 open heaths and warrens, at others in the marshes and fields 

 contiguous to the coast. A few reach the southern coun- 

 ties, and have been seen from Sussex to Devonshire. They 

 are considered rare in Cornwall, have been noticed in 

 Worcestershire, and Mr. Thompson writes me word they 

 are winter visitants to the mountainous parts of the north 

 of Ireland. 



On the Continent they annually visit the north of Ger- 

 many, France, and Holland. In the latter country, M. 

 Temminck states them to be very abundant, particularly 

 by the sea-side, a partiality evinced by them in our own 

 country. In Austria, Pennant says, they are caught and 

 fed with millet, and, like the Ortolan Bunting, grow ex- 

 cessively fat. Two instances are recorded in which this 



