512 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



(Bairtl, 1858), and the rest comiiiLj under Ccuh'ophanes (Kaup). The char- 

 acters upon which tliese are based are very trivial, heinuj mainly the varying 

 degree of size of the hill and length of tlu; hind claw. In this latter respect 

 there is too much individual variati«)n in the same sj)ecies to admit of this 

 being available as a specific, much less as a subgeneric character, while the 

 size of the bill is not of more than specilic importance. 



Plectrophanes nivalis, Meyer 



SNOW-BiniTING. 



Etah-riza nivnlis, Lixx. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 308 (not JP/vrtmV/^ nivnlis, \..\. — FoitsTER, 

 I'hila. Trans. LXIl, 177i;, 4(»3. — Wilsi.x, Am. (hn. Ill, 1811, 86, pi. xxi. _ Ari>. 

 Orn. Biog. II, 1834, r»75 ; V, 1831>, 4U6, pi. 180. EtnU'riza {PlecfropJuincs) nivalis, 

 B«.x. Obs. 182r>, No. 89. " Plectrophiiacs nirali,s, Mhykh." — liox. List, 1838. — AuD. 

 Syii. 1839, 103. —Ii5. Birds Am. Ill, 1841, T.y, pi. I'uk — Max. Cab. J. VI, 1858, 345 

 (SpitzlH'igi'ii). — Baikij, Birds N.Am. 185^, 432. — Nlwtox, Ibis, 1865, 502. — D.vll 

 & Baxxisteu, Tr. Ch. A. 8. I, 1869, 282 (Alaska). — Cuopek, Orn. C'al. I, 177.— 

 Samuels, 296. Ernbcrizti montanu, (J.melix, Syst. I, 1788, 867, 25. Einhcri~a muste- 

 limi, Gmki.ix, Syst. I, 1788, 867, 7. EialMi'i~aijhicinUs, Latham, lud. Urn. 1, 1790, 398. 



Sp. Char. Male. Color.^. in spi-inir pliimaGro, ontirtdy black and white. Mi<ldle of back 

 between scapulars, terminal hall" of primaries and ti'rtiaries, and two innermost tail- 

 featiiers, black ; elsewhere pure white. Legs l)lack at all seasons. In winter dress wliite 

 beneath; the head and rump yellowish-l»rown, as also some blotehes on the side of the 

 breast ; middle of back brown, streaked with l)lack ; white on wings and tail much more 

 restricted. Length about 0.7') ; wings, 4..'>5 ; tail, H.O.') ; lirst quill longest. Female. 

 Spring, continuous white beneath onR : above entirely streaked, the feathers having 

 blackish centres and whitish edges ; the i)laek streaks predominate on the back and 

 crown. Ytnni;/. Light gray above with obsolete dusky streaks on the back; throat and 

 jugulum paler gray, the latter with obsolete streaks; rest of lower parts dull wliite. 

 Wing-coverts, secondaries, and tail-feathers broaiUy edged with light ochraceous-brown. 



Hab. Northern America lirom Atlantic to Pacilic ; south into the United States in 

 winter, as far as Georgia and Southern Illinois. 



Specimens from Xorth America and Europe appear to lie quite identical ; 

 there is, however, a great amount of variation among individuals. 



Habits. The common Snow Bunting is found throughout northern Xorth 

 America to the shores of the Arctic Sea, and in the winter months extends 

 its migrations into the United States as indicated above. 



Mr. Dall states that in Alaska, when observed, they went altogether in 

 Hocks. It was at times excessively common, and at others entirely al)sent. 

 It builds its nests on the hillside, generally on the gi'ound, under the lee of 

 a stone. He obtained a large number of these birds at Xulato, in the winter 

 of 1807 - 68. It was much more common there than the P. hipponicua, which 

 was onlv seen in the sprimx, while this bird was there all the vear round. Mr. 

 Dall also met with these birds on St. (reorge's Island, and Mr. Uischolf ob- 

 tained them at Sitka. Accordin*'- to .Mr. IJannister's observations it was 

 altogether less abundant than the 1*. /ap/'O'iicfn, and seemed to prefer rather 



