SNOW BUNTING. 477 
Temminck states them to be very abundant, particularly 
by the sea-side, a partiality evinced by them in our own 
country. In Austria, Pennant says, they are caught and 
fed with millet, and like the Ortolan Bunting, grow ex- 
cessively fat. Two instances are recorded in which this 
bird was taken as far south as Genoa, and once at Malta 
in 1840. From all the southern districts, on the approach 
of spring, they again return to the northern latitudes from 
whence they came. 
An adult bird, on its arrival here towards winter, has 
the beak yellow, the tip almost black ; irides hazel; top 
of the head and the ear-coverts reddish brown ; the fea- 
thers on the back black at the base, with broad ends of 
pale reddish brown; wing-coverts and tertials white; the 
spurious wing, primaries, and secondaries black, with nar- 
row white tips and external edges; upper tail-coverts 
tawny and white; three outer tail-feathers on each side 
white, tipped with black; the others black, edged with 
white ; all the under surface of the body dull white, tinged 
with reddish brown on the breast and flanks ; legs, toes, 
and claws, black; the hind claw elongated and almost 
straight. In this state it has been called the Tawny 
Bunting. In summer the brown tips of the feathers on the 
back having fallen off, leave that part black; the want of 
the rusty brown on the head and breast leave those parts 
white ; in this state it is called the Snow Bunting; and an 
example in this its fine white summer plumage, was killed 
at Royston in Hertfordshire, on the 22nd of May 1840. 
This specimen was given to me by my friend Thomas 
Wortham, Esq. on whose grounds it was shot. In this 
state of plumage it is very rare, except in high northern 
latitudes. When presenting less white than the figure 
here given, it is a young bird in the state called the 
