SOME BIRDS OF THE WINTER. 319 



the wings are closed every now and then, as is 

 the case with them. During the whole time of 

 its sojourn in this country, the Snow Bunting 

 lives almost entirely on seeds of various kinds, 

 which it seeks among the weeds and herbage ; 

 but in summer it appears to be almost entirely 

 insectivorous. 



In many of its habits the Snow Bunting re- 

 sembles the Shore Lark it frequents much the 

 same kind of country in the high north, and, like 

 that bird, it soars into the air, and warbles its short 

 but sweet and charming love-song. The Snow 

 Bunting does not appear to separate into pairs until 

 it arrives at its breeding grounds. In flocks it 

 passes northwards in the spring, keeping on the 

 margin of the snow-wreath, pushing on as the 

 signs of returning summer spread around ; those 

 birds that go the farthest north not reaching their 

 old haunts before June. As the breeding season 

 comes on, the Snow Bunting's beauty increases 

 all the pale margins of the feathers drop off or 

 abrade away, until the plumage is pure black and 

 white. The breeding season commences as soon 

 as the birds can get back to their old haunts ; the 

 Arctic summer is short, and no time must be lost. 

 The nest is placed in a variety of situations. 

 Sometimes it is built among heaps of stones, 

 in a similar place to that chosen so often by the 

 Wheatear, or in crevices of the rocks ; sometimes 

 in heaps of drift-wood, and other debris, lying 

 scattered on the shores of the Arctic Ocean. 



