THE LAPLAND LONGSPUR. 



353 



that our boat could with great difficulty make its way through them. They were rumiing 

 about with great activity ; and those I shot and examined were filled, not only with the seeds 

 of tills plant, but with a minute kind of shell-fish that adheres to the leaves. In this kind of 

 aquatic excursion they are, doubtless, greatly assisted by the length of their hind heel and 

 claws. I also observed a few on Table Rock, above the Falls of Niagara, seemingly in search 

 of the same kind of food." 



As has already been noticed, the 

 plumage of the Snow Bunting varies 

 greatly in its coloring, passing through 

 every imaginable stage between the 

 vnnter and summer dress. The winter 

 plumage of this bird is briefly as fol- 

 lows : The back and part of the wings 

 are dark black-brown, and the whole 

 of the remaining feathers are pure 

 snowy-white. In all cases the amount 

 of black is very variable, and in some 

 instances the entire plumage has been 

 white. In the summer, the color is a 

 tawny-brown, speckled with white, 

 and the back is black, mottled with 

 brown. The quill-feathers of the wing 

 and tail are black, variegated with bay and white, and the under surface dull white, deepening 

 into ta\vny on the flanks. The length of the bird is about seven inches. 



Besides the examples already given, there are very many other species of Bunting 

 scattered over the surface of the globe, whose history is equally interesting, but cannot be 

 given in a work of the present dimensions. The species, however, which have already been 

 mentioned are good examples of the group, and will serve as types by which the character of 

 the sTib-families may be known. 



SNOW BUNTING.— /"icc/co/j/ian** nlvatts. 



The Snow Bunting {Plectrophanes nivalis) is common to both hemispheres. 

 Arctic circle is inhabited by flocks of this bird during the summer. 



The entire 



LAPLAND hOyoSPVR.—Centrophanes lappouKus. 



The Lapland Longspur, Smith's Bunting, Chestnut-coUared Bunting, McCowans, are 

 closely allied species, with similar habits and localities. 



Tot. n.— 45 



