BIRDS. 137 
1 
109. Emberiza rustica, Poll. Rustic Bunting, 
no. Emberiza pusilla, PaU. Little Bunting. 
III. Ennberiza schoenlclus, L. Reed Bunting. 
Eesident, not common, generally distributed in the eastern 
districts, and mnch rarer in winter ; and the same remarks 
apply in the west. Is to be found even in wild moorland 
districts ; and thus Mr. J. Stirling reports it at Gorm Lochs 
at the northern base of Ben More, and it is also present at 
Badenloch in the east. 
In Caithness this species is well known, and generally dis- 
tributed through the county, a pair or two being found in 
many suitable localities (0. MSS., 1868). 
Mr. Eeid finds it quite common, breeding around Wick, 
and took eggs at Lybster. Owing to our keeping close to 
the coast-line in 1885, we did not meet with it at all. 
112. Plectrophanes lapponicus (L.). Lapland Bunting. 
["Two specimens of this bunting have been obtained in Caith- 
ness ; the second, if I remember rightly, at Thrumster " 
(H. Osborne in MS.). Shearer admits it in his list with 
the sole remark " found twice."] 
113. Plectrophanes nivalis (L.). Snow-bunting. 
Up to the summer of 1885 this interesting species had always 
been looked upon as a common winter visitant, appearing 
in the low grounds only in severe weather ; and as a summer 
visitant nothing had ever been seen or heard of it ; and 
during many visits to the tops and corries of the more 
likely mountains, including that in which the nest was 
eventually found, we never once came across the species 
ourselves. 
