144 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



slightly forked. Bill as in E. citrinella but with only a slightly 

 elevated ridge (not a knob) on palate. Short bristle-like feathers 

 covering nostrils. Hind claw about as long as hind toe, curved, 

 thick at base. 



Soft parts. Bill black (summer) brownish-yellow with dusky 

 tip (winter) ; legs and feet black ; iris brown. 



CHARACTERS AND ALLIED FORMS. P. n. townsendi (Siberian coast 

 Bering Sea, Aleutian, Pribilof, and Shumagin Islands) is said to 

 be larger with longer bill. P. Jiyperboreus (north central part of 

 Bering Sea) has much more white on upper-parts and wings. 

 White under-parts and white in wings combined with long hind 

 claw, wing-formula and Bunting-bill distinguish it from all other 

 British species. 



FIELD-CHARACTERS. In winter when oftenest seen in this 

 country it affects rough places near sea and the shore itself, 

 and to a lesser degree hilly country. Comparatively inconspicuous 

 on ground, is very noticeable in flight by reason of large amount 

 of white in wing, white outer tail-feathers and under-parts. In 

 summer contrast of black and white very striking. Usual gait, 

 like Lapland Bunting's, is a quick run. Alarm note " tweek " ; 

 call-note a long-drawn " dwee," not unlike Greenfinch's and 

 Brambling's ; song uttered in breeding-season very sweet. 



BREEDING-HABITS. Breeds among screes on mountain-sides among 

 loose boulders or larva blocks, placing nest well out of sight among 

 stones. Nest. Chiefly dead grasses, stalks, little moss, lined 

 finer grasses, hair, wool, and many feathers of alpine and northern 

 birds. Eggs. 5 or 6 to 8 ; ground-colour ranging from yellowish- 

 white to bluish or greenish, boldly marked with blotches and spots 

 red-brown, a few blackish-brown markings and violet shell-marks. 

 Average of 100 eggs 22 X 16.1 mm. Breeding-season. End May 

 and beginning June in Scotland ; in Iceland mid-May to mid- July, 

 but chiefly June ; in Lapland latter half June. Incubation. 

 Lasts 14 days, chiefly by hen, but Faber says both sexes share. 

 One brood. 



FOOD. In summer largely insects, especially mosquitoes, also 

 seeds of dwarf birch, grasses, etc. ; in winter gram, seeds, sand- 

 hoppers, chrysalids, larvae of lepidoptera, etc. 



DISTRIBUTION. England, Wales and Ireland. Winter - visitor 

 chiefly to coast, but occasionally inland, and rather commonly on 

 hills in Wales. Occasionally stops until May, and fairly frequently 

 in summer on north and west coasts Ireland. Scotland. Resident. 

 Breeds in small numbers on higher mountains in northern half 

 of mainland in any case as far south as Perthshire and in Shet- 

 lands. Once on St. Kilda. Also winter-visitor, not only to islands 

 and coasts (not much in evidence on north-east coast), but also 

 inland and on hills. 



