RARER BRITISH BIRDS. 



95 



LAPLAND BUNTING. 



Plectrophanes Lapponica. LINNAEUS. 



THE number of specimens of this bird killed in the British 

 Isles appears to be confined to four. The first obtained was 

 selected from among some Larks in Leadenhall Market, by Mr. 

 George Weighton, City Road, from whom it passed into the 

 collection of Mr. Vigors. A second was taken near Brighton ; 

 and was for some time thought to be a variety of the Lark : it 

 is now in the collection of William Yarrell, Esq. Two others 

 have since been obtained ; one near London, the other near 

 Preston, in Lancashire. An interesting paper, by Mr. Selby, on 

 the first specimen, appears in volume fifteen of the " Linnaean 

 Transactions ;" it is also described in the " Fauna Boreali 

 Americana," and in " Pennant's Arctic Zoology." 



This bird breeds in the arctic regions, placing its nest, com- 

 posed of grass lined with hair, on the ground, generally on some 



