OF NEW ENGLAND. 187 
from Mt. Washington, the highest peak in New England, and 
I saw none on walking up Mount Lafayette, another prominent 
peak, in the early part of September, though it was very cold 
at the summit, and the true Snow-birds (Junco hyemalis) were 
very abundant at comparatively great altitudes, where the veg- 
etation was stunted. Audubon speaks, however, of a nest found 
among the White Mountains, in July, 1831, and seen by Wm. 
M. Boott, Esq., of Boston. It is probable that the Snow Bunt- 
ings normally belong to the United States as winter-visitors 
only, and as such occur so far to the southward as Kentucky, 
if not still further. They are not so shy as one might reason- 
ably suppose them to be from their habits in summer, but near 
Boston frequent the ‘‘ Back Bay lands,” the roads, and road- 
sides. They often obtain seeds from the weeds in fields and 
ploughed 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 sur- 
face 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 
observed a few on Table rock, above the falls of Niagara, 
seemingly in search of the same kind of food.” Mr. Maynard 
speaks of thousands feeding on the seeds of beach-grass, at 
the Ipswich Sand-hills.5® The Snow Buntings run with ease 
and rapidity, like the larks, and fly with considerable swift- 
ness, when in flocks often whirling like a flurry of snow before 
alighting on the ground. They are the most picturesque of 
our winter-birds, and often enliven an otherwise dreary scene, 
58 “ The Naturalist’s Guide,” p. 112. 
