THE SNOW BUNTING. 209 



88. THE RED-BILLED GKOSBEAX. 

 Loxia Sanguinirostris, LIN. Der Rothschnabliche Kernbeisser, BECH. 



Description. This bird, which is about the size of a House 

 Sparrow, is often brought by bird-dealers from England for 

 sale in Germany. It originally conies from Africa. Its beak 

 is thick, wide at the base, bare at the forehead, and of a dark 

 blood-red colour ; the forehead, the region round the eyes, and 

 the chin, black. The upper part of the body is of a greyish 

 brown, with black longitudinal stripes, almost like the Spar- 

 row ; the under part is of a clear brownish red. The quill 

 and tail feathers are dark brown, spotted with reddish grey ; 

 the feet and the irides are orange ; the eye-lids a yellowish 

 red. 



The female is much lighter ; the black mark on the head is 

 altogether wanting, and the under part of the body is a yel- 

 lowish white. 



Observations. As before remarked, this is a Cage-bird of 

 common occurrence. It is fed with millet and canary seed ; 

 and is a favourite, not only on account of its beauty, but also 

 of its delicate song, which resembles that of the Yellow "Wren. 

 The male and female caress each other incessantly, but never 

 pair, or build in the cage. They attain a considerable age. 



89. THE SNOW BUNTING. 

 Emberiza Nivalis, LIN. Ortolan de Neige, BUF. Der Schnerammer, BECH. 



Description. Naturalists assert that the plumage of this 

 bird differs considerably, according to the season of the year. 

 The truth of this assertion I do not pretend to decide, though, 

 from analogy, I am warranted in conjecturing that the difference 

 arises rather from the age of the birds. And as in summer 

 this bird inhabits regions within the arctic circle, I shall con- 

 tent myself with describing its winter plumage, as it may be 

 seen in confinement. 



It is about the size of a Lark, and six inches and a half in 

 length. The beak, as in all Buntings, is conical in shape, 

 six lines long, bent inwards at the sides, and having a hard 

 protuberance at the palate. Its colour is yellow, tipped with 

 black, except in the singing season, when it is entirely black. 

 The legs are one inch high, and, as well as the claws, coal 



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