198 SNOW BUNTING. 



far westward they extend I am unable to say, One of the moat 

 intelligent and expert hunters who accompanied captains Lewis 

 and Clark on their expedition to the Pacific Ocean, informs me, 

 that he has no recollection of seeing these birds in any part of 

 their tour, not even among the bleak and snowy regions of the 

 Stony mountains; though the little blue one was in abundance. 



The Snow Bunting derives a considerable part of its food 

 from the seeds of certain aquatic plants, which may be one rea- 

 son for its preferring these remote northern countries, so gene- 

 rally intersected with streams, ponds, lakes and shallow arms 

 of the sea, that probably abound with such plants. In passing 

 down the Seneca river towards lake Ontario, late in the month 

 of October, I was surprized by the appearance of a large flock 

 of these birds feeding on the surface of the water, supported on 

 the tops of a growth of weeds that rose from the bottom, growing 

 so close together that our boat could with great difficulty make 

 its way through them. They were running about with great 

 activity; and those I shot and examined were filled, not only 

 with the seeds of this plant, but with a minute kind of shell fish 

 that adheres to the leaves. In these kind of aquatic excursions 

 they are doubtless greatly assisted by the length of their hind 

 heel and claws. I also observed a few on Table rock, above 

 the falls of Niagara, seemingly in search of the same kind of 

 food. 



According to the statements of those traders who have resided 

 near Hudson's bay, the Snow Buntings are the earliest of their 

 migratory birds, appearing there about the eleventh of April, 

 staying about a month or five weeks, and proceeding farther 

 north to breed. They return again in September; stay till No- 

 vember, when the severe frosts drive them southward. * 



The summer dress of the Snow Bunting is a tawny brown, 

 interspersed with white, covering the head, neck and lower 

 parts; the back is black, each feather being skirted with brown; 

 wings and tail also black, marked in the following manner: 



* Lond. Phil. Trans. LXII, 403. 



