224 
EMBERIZA NIVALIS. 
These birds appear in the northern districts 
United States early in December, or with the 
heavy snow, particularly if drifted by high 
They are usually called the nhite snow bird, to dis^ , 
guish them from the small dark bluish snow ''Jy 
Their numbers increase with the increasing severity ^ 
weather, and depth of snow. Flocks of them •soineti'® ’ 
whiteness of their plumage is observed to be grcal 
reach as far south as the borders of Maryland ; 00“ - j 
..... . . . f fj 
towards the depth of winter. They spread over 
tK 
Gennesee country and the interior'of the district “ 
Maine, flying in close compact bodies, driving 
most in a high wind ; sometimes alighting near ^ 
doors, but seldom sitting long, being a roving, rest*!^ 
bird. In these plentiful regions, where more valu^*! ^ 
game is abundant, they hold out no temptation 1 ® 
sportsman or hunter; and e.vcept the few caught ^ 
boys in snares, no other attention is paid to them. jg 
are, however, universallv considered .as the harbii'k'*' j 
of severe cold weather, llow far westward they 
I am unable to say, 
iters win 
One of the mo.st intelligent “'j 
expert hunters who accompanied Captains Leivis “ . 
Clark on their expedition to the Pacific Ocean, i“^® 
me, that he has no recollection of seeing these bird* 
any part of their tour, not even among the bleak 
snowy regions of the Stony mountains ; though 
little blue one was in abundance. jlj 
The snow bunting derives a considerable part of . 
food from the seeds of certain aquatic plants, n hich ^ 
be one reason for its preferring these remote north*^^^ 
countries, so generally intersected with streams, l'®”jji 
lakes, and shallow arms of the sea, that probably 
with such ])lants. In passing down the Seneca J 
towards Lake Ontario, late in the month of Dotoh® ' 
was surprised by the appearance of a large Hock of th^j 
birds feeding on the surface of the water, snpiiort®' 
the tops of a growth of weeds that rose from the 
tom, growing so close together that our boat could ” ^ 
great difficulty make its way through them. They ”, 
running about with great activity ; and those I * 
2 
