262 



apicatis : secundariis albis, externis versus apicem nigricante notatis : tectricibus alarum minimis albis : 

 rectricibus ut in ptilosi aestiva, picturatis sed saturatioribus et albido marginatis : facie laterali albida, 

 vitta ferruginea per oculos dueta, regione parotica, saturate ferruginea : subtiis albus : pectore summo 

 rufescente ochraceo lavato, hypochondriis eodem colore adumbratis : rostro saturate flavo, versus apicem 

 brunneo : pedibus nigris. 



2 ptil. Mem. mari similis, sed supra grisescentior : tectricibus alarum minimis nigris, conspicue albido 

 terminatis. 



Adult Male in summer (Greenland) . Head, neck, and entire underparts pure -white ; back and scapulars 

 jet-black, here and there imperceptibly edged with brownish white; primaries white at the base, other- 

 wise jet-black; secondaries pure white; wing-coverts pure white, excepting the spurious wing, which is 

 black ; the three outer rectrices on each side white, with a small elongated apical black spot ; central 

 rectrices black, tipped with white ; rump and upper tail-coverts white ; bill and feet black ; iris dark 

 brown. Total length 6 - 5 inches, culmen 0'45, wing 4*2, tail 2 - 5, tarsus 0'9, middle toe with claw O'oo. 



Adult Female (Greenland). The adult female in breeding-plumage differs from the male in having the head, 

 neck, and back black, with broad grey edgings to the feathers, which on the head and neck are so broad 

 as to give the appearance of being entirely grey ; lesser wing-coverts black, broadly tipped with white ; 

 underparts white ; bill and legs dark brown ; the black portions of the plumage are much duller than 

 in the male, being greyish black rather than black. In size it is rather smaller, measuring — wing 39 

 inches, tail 2*4, tarsus - 85. 



Adult Male in winter (Glen Tanar, Aberdeenshire). Centre of forehead and crown dark rusty brown, 

 bordered on each side by dirty creamy grey ; nape dirty white, washed with yellowish brown ; back 

 and scapulars black, broadly margined with dull reddish brown ; rump dull reddish brown ; quills dull 

 black, edged and tipped with dirty white ; secondaries white, the outer ones marked towards the tip on 

 both webs with blackish brown, the inner ones thus marked on the outer web only; wing-coverts 

 white ; rectrices as in the summer plumage, but duller, and margined with white ; sides of face dirty 

 white ; an irregular broad line through the eye and auriculars dull rusty yellow ; underparts white ; a 

 broad band across the chest rusty yellow ; flanks washed with pale rusty yellow ; bill dull yellowish, 

 darker towards the point ; legs black. 



Adult Female in winter (Hampstead, 17th March). Similar to the male, but much paler and greyer on the 

 back, and having the wing-coverts black, broadly tipped with white. 



Young , fresh fledged (fide Nilsson). Head, nape, and back greyish black, with irregular black spots, and 

 washed with yellowish brown ; lesser wing-coverts blackish, broadly edged with white ; the larger 

 coverts black, broadly tipped with rusty yellow ; primaries black, secondaries white ; chin white ; 

 neck and breast grey, washed with rusty yellow ; abdomen white ; the two outer tail-feathers whitish, 

 with the outer web blackish, the next in order with blackish tip, and edged with rusty grey on the 

 outer web. 



Obs. The female in the winter plumage may be easily distinguished by having the lesser wing-coverts 

 black, edged with white, and the feathers on the crown black, edged with reddish brown, these latter 

 being in the male white, edged with reddish brown, though black at the root. 



The Snow-Bunting, like its near relative the Lapland Bunting, is an inhabitant of the high 

 boreal regions of both continents; and only during the winter season, when food is scarce or 



