Snow-Finches. 101 



than the rest, as in some other birds, of airy and 

 graceful flight. The strong contrast of jet-black 

 and purest white in the plumage, e.g. in the tail, 

 which has two black feathers in the middle while 

 the rest are as white as snow, makes the bird con- 

 spicuous at a long distance, and a more striking 

 object than the browner Snow-bunting, which 

 occasionally strays from the north to the Alps. 

 Seldom have I seen a more beautiful sight, 

 unless it be a flight of Plover on English water- 

 meadows, than the wavings and whirlings of a 

 flock of Snow-finches, with their white feathers 

 glistening in the sun one moment, while the 

 next their black ones will show clear against the 

 snow. 



One other bird, which loves these great heights 

 in the summer, may occasionally be seen within a 

 few minutes' walk of the place where the Snow- 

 finch fell a victim. This is the red-winged Rock- 

 or Wall-creeper, a bird so beautiful and so unique 

 that it demands at least a passing notice. Wher- 

 ever there is a steep wall or rock which is in 

 shadow during part at least of the day, this bird 

 may be looked for and occasionally seen, even in 



