1"^HE Finch family — more numerous 

 in species than any other — are 

 remarkable for the short and 

 powerful structure of their beaks, which, 

 when closed, form a stout cone, well 

 adapted for cracking hard-shelled seeds. 

 The resident pale brown Corn Bunting 

 and the winter visiting brown and white 

 flecked Snow Bunting, both members of 

 the Finch family, have an additional 

 special beak development, in the shape 

 of a hard bony knob on the palate. 

 The latter bird retains the Lark and 

 Pipit-like straight hind claw, which may 

 act as a tiny snow-shoe, and the white 

 patches in its plumage — though strikingly 

 conspicuous at times — may serve a pro- 

 tective purpose when the ground is 

 snow-clad. 



The Snow Bunting is a regular winter 

 visitor to our coasthne — sometimes in 

 large flocks, but its numbers and fre- 

 quency greatly depend upon the severity 

 of the weather. Continued hard weather 



mc^m/ w 



r^^ 



will drive them inland to seek food upon 

 the stubbles — a happy hunting ground 

 where Finches and Buntings do incal- 

 culable good by devouring noxious weed- 

 seeds. The whitest example of the Snow 

 Bunting that I have seen was shot whilst 

 feeding, with a mixed assembly of other 

 small birds, upon the refuse left from a 

 threshed-out wheat-stack. During hard 

 weather a stack-yard becomes a splendid 

 " study " for the ornithologist, for as great 

 a variety of bird-life follows the threshing 

 machine as follows the plough at any 



CORN BUNTING'S NEST. 



YELLOW HAMMLKS NKST. 



19 



^ 



145 



season of the year, and a 

 newly -mown field, niarsii, 

 or lawn has a similar 

 attraction in summer for 

 both grain and insect 

 feeders. Many birds, too, 

 accompany grazing cattle — 

 Wagtails and Starlings espe- 

 cially — to feast upon the 



