THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



39 



65. SNOW BUNTING. 

 Emheriza nivalis. Linn, 



Sno Sparf, (Sweden. Snefugle, (Denmark.) 



Alap (Lapland.) Trapaluarsak, (Spitzbergen.) 



Nivalis.— Of the snow. 



Plumage- — The adult male in summer dress has the bill black. Eyes 

 hazel. Head, neck, and the whole of the under parts pure white, or with a 

 few black feathers on the top or sides of head. Back jet-black, mottled, 

 with grey on the rump. Upper wing coverts and secondaries white, or the 

 latter blackish at the base ; spurious wing black, primaries and tertiaries 

 black, the former dusted with white at the base, and the latter upon the 

 web. Middle tail-feathers black, the three outer ones white, with a black 

 patch near the tip. Legs and claws black. . 



The Female in Breeding Dress is similar to the male, but more shaded, 

 with dusky on the head and upper parts. 



The Adult Male in Winter has the bill yellow, dark at the tip. Head 

 and neck white, shaded with rust-brown and chestnut, caused by the margins 

 of the feathers being of that colour. The back black, more or less obscured 

 by the rust-brown edges of the feathers. The wings are similar to those of 

 the summer bird, but the tertials are margined with dull brown. Upper 

 tail-coverts black, with brownish or whitish margins. Tail like the summer 

 bird. Lower parts dull white, tinged with rust colour on the breast and 

 sides. Legs black. 



The Female ln Winter has the top of the head, chin, and throat dull 

 chestnut, paler behind ; the upper parts are mottled with blackish-brown and 

 dull chestnut. The only white upon the wings is the lesser coverts, and the 

 base of the secondaries. Tail as in the male, but duller. Under parts dull 

 white, deeply shaded with dull chestnut across the breast. 



In the winter dress it was formerly called the Tawny Bunting. 



The change from winter dress to summer is caused by the brown edges of 

 the feathers being worn away ; and leaving them clear white or black. 



The Young are at first covered with sooty down. 



In Immature Plumage both sexes have the bill yellow with tip dark. 

 Head and upper parts greyish-olive, lighter towards the tail. All the white 

 parts are tinged with grey or yellowish, and with rust-brown on the breast 

 and sides. 



