BRITISH BIRDS. 89 



112. Pleetrophenax nivalis (Linn.). SNOW-BUNTING. 



Hab. Circumpolar regions, breeding northward of about 

 lat. 580. In winter, southward to about 35 N. lat. 



Male : head, nape, and rump white, often showing 

 blackish centres to some of the feathers ; mantle and 

 wings black, excepting greater coverts, bases of primaries 

 and most of secondaries, which are white ; three outer 

 tail-feathers on each side white, rest black ; below pure 

 white ; bill and tarsi black \ iris hazel. Length 670. 

 Female : black portions much duller, and white of head 

 and nape mottled with blackish. In winter both sexes 

 have upper feathers black in centre with broad margins 

 of reddish-brown, while bill is orange with a black tip. 



A common winter visitor to Scotland, the north and 

 east of England, and north of Ireland ; rare elsewhere. 

 It has long been known to breed in the Shetlands, and 

 has recently been found nesting in Sutherlandshire. 



Family Sturnidae. 



GENUS L. STURNUS, Linnaus (1766). 

 Bill rather long, straight, base somewhat depressed, tip 

 blunt. Wings long, broad, and pointed, ist primary very 

 small. Tail short. Feathers of head, nape, and breast 

 narrow and pointed. 



113. Sturnus vulgaris, Linn. STARLING. 



Hab. Europe, north to lat. 70 in Norway ; also W. Asia. 

 In winter, partially migratory. 



Male : plumage of body black, glossed with green, blue, 

 and purple, most of feathers of upper parts and breast 

 being tipped with buffish-yellow ; wing and tail-feathers 

 dusky, edged on outer margins with buffish-white ; bill 



