SNOW BUNTING. 127 



without specific instructions, and the promise of a good reward, 

 be expected to bestow much labour in the acquisition of that kind 

 of game. 



In Macgillivray's work mention is made of both old and young 

 Snow Buntings having been seen on the Grampians in the begin- 

 ning of August, 1830. Various local chroniclers had previously 

 recorded the fact that the species remained in limited numbers to 

 breed, but no instance appears to be cited in which the eggs had 

 been actually obtained. Pennant, in his Caledonian Zoology, 

 states that " a few breed on the summits of the highest moun- 

 tains, but that the greatest part migrate from the North, appearing 

 first in the Orkneys." In his day, it frequently happened that 

 during their migratory flights, numbers fell wearied into the ships 

 that were passing the Pentland Firth. The same author mentions 

 in his Tour in Scotland, that " snow flecks breed near Invercauld." 

 This information, no doubt, was given entirely on the faith of the 

 birds having been seen, and this is precisely what is understood 

 at the present day, nothing more positive by way of proof having 

 been adduced by any modern observer on the mainland of Scot- 

 land.* I have been kindly favoured by Mr William Hamilton of 

 London with the following extract from one of his journals, prov- 

 ing the presence of the Snow Bunting in Ross-shire about mid- 

 summer: "July 12, 1868. Went up Scuir Ouran with my 

 brother in the afternoon; weather extremely hot and somewhat 

 hazy. On reaching the top we sat down to enjoy the view, and 

 were surprised to see two pairs of Snow Buntings (old birds), 

 which were very tame, and seemed quite at home among the 

 rough stones with which the top of the mountain is covered. We 

 looked about for their nests, as we had no doubt they were breed- 

 ing, but were not fortunate enough to find them. In fact, it 

 would be a hopeless task, unless one had time to watch the birds." 

 Scuir Ouran is on the confines of Inverness-shire, and is about 

 4000 feet in height; it is probably the most westerly resort of this 

 bunting in the summer season. 



On the east coast of Scotland I have been much interested in 

 observing this bird along the coast line from Berwickshire to the 

 county of Forfar. In stormy weather I have encountered numbers 



* Dr Saxby has, in one instance at least, discovered the nest in the island of 

 Unst in Shetland. 



