FINCHES. 193 



species may breed on the tops of some of the ranges of Maine 

 and New Hampshire.* I have a note of a well authenticated 

 instance of a large flock being seen on Mount Katahdin, in 

 early August, 1869." None, however, have ever been re- 

 ported in summer from Mount Washington, the highest peak 

 in New England, and I saw none on walking up Mount La- 

 fayette, another prominent peak, in the early part of Septem- 

 ber, though it was very cold at the summit, and the true 

 Snow-birds {Junco Jiyemalis) were very abundant at com- 

 paratively great altitudes, where the vegetation was stunted. 

 Audubon speaks, however, of a nest f found among the White 

 Mountains, in July, 1831, and seen by Wm. M. Boott, Esq., 

 of Boston. It is probable that the Snow Buntings normally 

 belong to the United States as winter visitors only, and as 

 such occur so far to the southward as Kentucky, if not stiU 

 further. They are not so shy as one might reasonably sup- 

 pose them to be from their habits in summer, but near Boston 

 frequent the " Back Bay lands," the roads, and roadsides. 

 They often obtain seeds from the weeds in fields and plowed 

 lands, but they are most common on and near the sea-shore, 

 where they feed much upon small shell-fish. Wilson says : 

 " In passing down the Seneca River towards Lake Ontario, late 

 in the month of October, I was surprised by the appearance 

 of a large flock of these birds feeding on the surface of the 

 water, supported on the tops of a growth of weeds that rose 

 from the bottom, growing so close together that our boat 

 could with great difficulty make its way through them. They 

 were running about with great activity ; and those I shot and 

 examined were filled, not only with the seeds of this plant, 

 but with a minute kind of shell-fish that adheres to the leaves. 

 In these . . . aquatic excursions they are doubtless greatly 

 assisted by the length of their hind heel and claws. I also 



Co., N. H., and Oxford Co., Maine, ing-season, by good field cmithologiats, 



etc. ; 57th species, p. 17 of pamphlet. none of whom have found any trace of 



^ It is now safe to say that this is Snow Buntings there. — W. B. 



highly improbable, at least in so far as t There can be little doubt that this 



the Kew Hampshire mountains are nest was that of a Snow-bird {Junco hy- 



concemed, for their summite have been emalis). — W. B. 

 repeatedly visited, during the breed- 



