THE SNOW-BIRDS. 
517 
The arctic or Lapland snow-bird is not unfreqnent in this State 
as a winter visitor/but we have never seen it, or heard of it, in 
this coimty. Probably when it comes thus far south, it seeks 
rather a milder climate than ours, for it has been seen even in 
Kentucky and Mississippi. 
The white snow-bird, a pretty little creature, with much white 
in its plumage, is also, I believe, a stranger in our neighborhood, 
never having seen it or heard of it here. A few are said to breed 
in Massachusetts, and they are not rare in winter, in parts of this 
State. All these birds live much on the srround, and build their 
nests there, and for a very good reason, since in their proper na- 
tive country, in arctic regions, trees are neither very common nor 
very tall. One of the north-western travellers, Capt. Lyon, once 
found a nest of this bird in a singular position ; his party came acci- 
dentally upon several Indian gi-aves : " Near the large grave was a 
third pile of stones, covering the body of a child, which was coiled 
up in the same manner. A snow-bunting had found its way 
through the loose stones which composed this little tomb, and its 
novv^ forsaken, neatly-built nest, was found placed on the neck of 
the child." 
Monday, 2Qth. — Pleasant day. Long drive of six miles on the 
lake. The snow is all but gone on shore, though it still lies 
on the ice to the depth of several inches ; it accumulates there 
more than upon the land, seldom thawing much, except in rainy 
weather. Two very large cracks cross the lake at present, about 
five miles from the village ; the ice is upheaved at those points, 
forming a decided ridge, perhaps two feet in height ; it will doubt- 
less first give way in that direction. The broad, level field of 
