186 Emberizidce. 



73. SNOW BUNTING (Plectrophanes nivalis). 



This native of northern regions, known in Sweden as Sad- 

 Sparf t ' Snow Sparrow;' in France, Bi*uant de Neige; in Germany, 

 Schneeammer ; in Italy, Ortolano Nivola, seldom comes so far 

 south as Wiltshire, though it appears pretty regularly every 

 winter on our eastern and northern coasts, and I have met with 

 it in considerable numbers on the shores of the Wash, in Norfolk. 

 At that season, however, its plumage is reddish-brown above and 

 dull white beneath, and so much do individuals vary from one 

 another in hue as well as in the distribution of their colours, 

 that they have often been erroneously divided into several 

 species, receiving the sobriquet of ' Tawny ' and ' Mountain * 

 Bunting, according to their sex and age and garb ; but it is in 

 summer plumage and in the extreme north that this bird is to 

 be seen in perfection, arrayed in its attractive dress of deep black 

 and pure white, and haunting the highest and most desolate 

 fjelds of Scandinavia. And there I have been so fortunate as to 

 meet with it on several occasions, now flitting from one lichen- 

 covered rock to another, now running quickly ov.er the snow, 

 seeming to delight in those wild inhospitable regions, so con- 

 genial to its habits, but so little to the taste of most members of 

 the animal kingdom. Though it strays southwards in winter, it 

 returns regularly in spring within the Arctic Circle to breed in 

 very high latitudes ; and touching tales have been told of the 

 extravagant delight and wild excitement of the crews of ice-bound 

 vessels who had passed the long dreary months of winter, fast 

 frozen in during some Arctic expedition caused by the ap- 

 pearance of the first Snow Bunting, which was seen fluttering 

 about among the hummocks, uttering its sweet and plaintive 

 chirp, which to them was the most pleasing music they had 

 heard for many a long day. No wonder the sudden appearance 

 among them of this little visitor was so interesting, for it was the 

 first bird they had seen for nine long months. Even the in- 

 valids, as they lay on the sledges, requested that they might 

 have their faces uncovered, so as both to see and hear the little 



