128 WOODLANDERS AND FIELD FOLK 



of ever getting a characteristic description. Indeed, 

 so great a puzzle did this little stranger offer, that 

 for long it stood to the older naturalists as three 

 distinct species. Of course we know now that the 

 mountain, tawny and snow-bunting are one; for 

 the birds have been obtained in almost every possible 

 stage of plumage. They breed upon the summits 

 of the highest hills with the ptarmigan; and, like 

 that bird, regulate their plumage to the prevailing 

 aspect of their haunts. In this they succeed ad- 

 mirably, and flourish accordingly. 



From the dark pine forests of Norway and Sweden 

 come the immense flocks of redwings that strike 

 our coasts in October. At first small bands are seen 

 under the hedges or in the fields, searching for the 

 lower forms of animal life. At all times the redwing 

 is less a fruit-eater than its congeners, though the 

 first hard frost immediately drives it to the haw- 

 thorns the general resort of thrushes during times 

 of scarcity. The fact that the redwing seems ill 

 adapted constitutionally to bear prolonged severity 

 did not escape the keen eye of Gilbert White; and 

 he primarily pointed out that it was among the first 

 birds to suffer in winter. It is not unfrequently 

 found so overcome by cold as to be quite unable to 

 get away. The bird has its prettily descriptive 

 name from the fact of its sides and lower wing 

 coverts being light red or chestnut. For weeks 



