The Bunting.] OF ORKNEY. 6l 



are dusky, with the outer webs yellow ; the tail forked, the 

 edges white ; the legs yellowish. 



The bunting, like others of the genus, pleases our palate 

 more than our ear ; it is no song-bird ; the note consists in a 

 lengthened skirle (Scotis), which it repeats every now and then, 

 sitting on a bush or stalk of mugwort in the fields. 



Species 2. The Greater Brambling. 



Great Pied Mountain Finch, or Brambling, Wil. Ornt 255. Raii Syn. AV. 88. 

 Emberiza Nivalis, Lin. Syst. 308. Brit. Zool. 321. Brit. Zool. lllus. 17. 

 tab. 1 1. Jig. 2. Snowflake, Snowfleck, Scotis et Ore. 



THE Snowfleck, or snowflake, is a migratory bird with us, 

 and in some years appears in vast flocks from the northward, 

 continuing with us most part of the winter, but as soon, as 

 spring appears goes off, and we see no more of them till the 

 hard weather sends them again to us. 



The weights of three I killed in Orkney (February 3.), were 

 a little different, one of them a few grains heavier than the 

 other ; this last was one ounce, two grains and a-half. The 

 rest of their description exactly corresponded with that given 

 us by Mr Pennant in the British Zoology, Vol. II. 321. 



I have only to add, that I have often seen some of these 

 birds lighter-coloured than others, that is to say, the tawny 

 of the head very pale, the back dusky, and very much of the 

 wings white. 



