C2 
iw) 
4 
’ elevation of between 9000 and 10,000 feet above the sea. ‘The birds were on very steep rocky 
ground; and I shot one, which rolled down some precipitous rocks; and despite a long search 
and much climbing on difficult ground, I was unable to find it.” Dr. Carl Bolle states (J. f. O. 
1854, p. 457) that one has been shot at Orotava, in the Canaries; but this must certainly be a 
mistake; perhaps Plectrophanes nivalis was taken for the present species. 
I have not had an opportunity of watching this interesting bird in its native haunts, and 
must depend on the researches of the Alpine naturalists for particulars as to its habits. It 
frequents the sterile rocky portions of the mountains, where it runs amongst the stones in search 
of food, uttering its call-note, every now and then flying a short distance and settling again. It 
is lively and quick in its movements, and indefatigable in searching after the seeds and small 
insects on which it subsists. Now and then it will stand for a moment on any small eminence, 
slightly spread its wings, flirt its tail, and utter a tolerably loud note, which Bailly describes as 
resembling the syllables puitt, puitt, or pitt, pitt. When a storm breaks over the mountains the 
Snow-Finches take refuge amongst the crevices of the rocks, to reappear in their old haunts when 
it has passed. 
Two broods are raised in the year—the first eggs being deposited about the middle of May, 
and the second sitting early in July, this latter being placed in a more elevated locality, usually 
close to the eternal snow. The female is the principal architect in the construction of the nest, 
which is placed in a chink in the rocks or amongst masonry. Every season, Bailly says, several 
pairs nest in the limestone in front of the Hotel de la Poste, and on the borders of the lake, as 
also near the glaciers of Rouche, in the walls of the chalets, and of the houses of refuge which 
are placed along the principal road. 
The female is said to undertake the cares of incubation, which extends over the space of 
eighteen days; and the young when hatched are most carefully tended by their parents. When 
quite young and until they get feathered they are fed with small insects, caterpillars, and the 
tender shoots of alpine plants, and later with seeds and buds. When able to take care of 
themselves, the young collect in flocks; and in August the old birds are in company with both 
their broods, often in tolerably large flocks. 
I am indebted to Dr. Crowfoot, of Beccles, for a nest and eggs of this bird, taken at St. 
Gothard in June 1875. The nest is rather large, measuring 54 inches outside diameter, and 
24 inches high, the cup measuring 3 inches diameter by 1? inch deep. It is a tolerably good 
structure, composed of dried grass-bents and fine rootlets, lined with wool, hair, and a few 
Ptarmigan-feathers, and a few bits of frayed string. The eggs, five in number, are pure white, 
and measure from #6 by 33 to 3% by 28 inch. 
The specimens figured are an adult male in full summer dress and a nestling in the fore- 
ground, and a male in winter plumage in the background, these being the specimens described. 
In the preparation of the above article I have examined the following specimens :— 
E Mus. H. E. Dresser. 
a, b,c,3,d,2. Switzerland, winter plumage (W. Schliiter). e, f, g ad. Summer plumage, Switzerland 
(Moschler). g, pull. Switzerland (Dr. Girtanner). 
