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THE SNOW BUNTING. 
Plectrophanes nivalis. — Meyer. 
PLATE XVIII. 
Emberiza nivalis, Linneeus. — Plectrophanes nivalis of 
Moderns Emberiza glacialis, nivalis, montana, in 
winter plumage. — Snow Bunting, Mountain and Tawny 
Bunting, of modern British authors, for its various 
states of plumage. 
It is probable that a few scattered pairs of this 
beautifully marked bird breed on some of the 
higher mountain ranges of Scotland ; at the same 
time these instances are certainly so rare and 
limited, that we can only look upon it as a winter 
visiter among our birds. They appear in the 
south of Scotland soon after the month of Octo- 
ber, and are common in large flocks in all the 
sub-alpine districts, descending to the borders of 
cultivation as the winter advances, and in very 
severe times retiring even to the lowlands, the 
sea coasts, and the courses of the rivers. In both 
the latter localities, we have repeatedly seen 
them, seeking their sustenance among the rejec- 
tamenta left by the tide, or picking up whatever 
could be found among the gravel by the river 
sides. In less severe weather, they frequent the 
stubbles, fallows, and cultivated fields, on the 
borders of the muirland districts, and feed on the 
