476 EMBERIZID &. 
the middle or latter part of October in large flocks, which 
seem chiefly to consist of the young of the year, or Moun- 
tain Buntings, and of females, or young males, the Tawny 
Buntings, with a few adult males intermixed; which, at 
this period, having scarcely acquired their winter’s livery, 
are in consequence nearer to the state of the tawny plumage. 
Afterwards, if the season should be severe, small flocks 
are seen, principally consisting of adult male birds in their 
winter’s dress, but never in such numbers as those in the 
two states first mentioned. As the severity of the winter 
increases, they leave the heaths, where they have fed upon 
the seeds of various grasses, and descending to the lower 
grounds, frequent the oat-stubbles; and, if the snow lies 
deep, they approach to the coasts, where the influence of 
the sea-breeze soon exposes a sufficient breadth of ground 
to afford them subsistence. Their call-note is pleasing, 
and often repeated during their flight, which is always in 
a very compact body; and frequently before settling on 
the ground they make sudden wheels, coming almost in 
collision with each other, at which time a peculiar guttural 
note is produced. They run with ease and celerity, like the 
Lark genus, and never perch on trees.” 
These flocks, diminished by separation and other causes, 
are seen in Yorkshire, Norfolk, and Suffolk, sometimes on 
open heaths and warrens, at others in the marshes and 
fields contiguous to the coast. A few reach the southern 
counties, and have been seen from Sussex to Devonshire. 
They are considered rare in Cornwall, have been noticed 
in Worcestershire; and Mr. Thompson writes me word 
they are winter visitants to the mountainous parts of the 
North of Ireland. 
On the Continent they annually visit the north of Ger- 
many, France, and Holland. In the latter country, M. 
