362 Passkres. BIRDS. Fringili.idas. 
yellow. The length of this bird is about six inches 
throughout the winter, but descend in very severe 
and a half. 
weather to the oat-stubbles ; or, if the snow lies deep. 
THE BLACK-THROATED BUNTING [Eiispiza amcri- 
even to the sea-coast. They run readily upon the 
cana), a migratory species in the United States, has 
ground like the larks, and seldom perch. They breed 
a considerable resemblance to the European yellow 
among the rocks of the most northern islands, making 
hammer, both in form and habits. It is six inches 
a nest of dry grass lined wdth deer’s hair and feathers ; 
and a half in length, and has the head greenish-yellow. 
the young are fed upon insects and grubs. The food 
the back, rump, and tail rusty-red, partly streaked 
of the parent birds consists principally of seeds of 
with black, and the lower surface dull-white, with a 
various kinds and buds. 
large, somewhat cordate, black patch on the throat. 
THE LAPLAND BUNTING {Plcctrophanes lapponica) 
This bird frequents grass and clover fields, always 
is a smaller bird than the preceding, measuring only 
building its nest on the ground, which is composed of 
six inches and a quarter in length. The male has the 
dried grasses. 
head, face, throat, and breast deep black ; the nape of 
THE RICE-BUNTING {Dolichonyx oryzivorus) is also 
the neck bright chestnut; the feathers of the back. 
a summer visitor to North America, where it is very 
wings, and tail dark brown, with reddish-browm edges; 
abundant. During the breeding seasoir these birds 
and the lower surface white, extending up the sides of 
are dispersed all over the country, feeding to a great 
the neck .to the back of the head, whence a narrow 
extent upon insects and tlie seeds of various wild 
white streak is continued over each eye. The white 
plants, but also occasionally attacking the young ears 
sides of the breast and abdomen are spotted with black. 
of wheat, barley, and Indian corn. When the young 
The female has the black plumage of tbe head and 
are able to fly, however, they descend in vast flocks 
breast edged with pale brown and gray, and the chest- 
upon the corn-fields, apparently giving the preference 
nut feathers of the neck with white. 
to oats, of which they consume great quantities, but in 
This bird agrees with the Snow-bunting in its wide 
return, according to Wilson, often siqiply the farmer’s 
distribution over the arctic regions, but is a far rarer 
fable with a very delicious dish. 
visitor to this country, only a few specimens having 
The Kice-bunting is seven inches and a half in 
been taken at various times in the lark nets. It breeds 
length, and the male is of a black colour, with the back 
amongst moss and stones in the moist meadows bor- 
of the head cream-colour, and the lower part of the 
dering the arctic shores, composing its nest of dry grass 
back, the rump, and scapulars white. The female is 
and lining it with deer’s hair. 
brownish-yellow, streaked with brownish-black on the 
THE SKYLARK {Alauda a?TC«sfs)— Plate 13, fig. 
back ; and the male assumes a similar dress when the 
46. — This well-known and favourite British bird is an 
breeding season is over. The nest is built on the 
inhabitant not only of all parts of Europe, but also of 
ground, of dry leaves and grass, and the female usually 
Northern Asia, descending as far to the southward as 
lays five eggs. While she is sitting, the male is very 
the borders of India. It dwells commonly in cultivated 
gay and active, and emits a singular but not disagree- 
districts, wbere it roosts and builds its nest on the 
able song. 
ground, usually in corn-fields. Few, if any, of our 
THE SNOW-BUNTING {Plectrop>hanes wwflZfs).— The 
British birds possess a more cheerful and animated 
two species of Buntings to which we have now to refer 
song than the Skylark, whose joyous notes, heard as 
— namely, the Snow-bunting and the Lapland Bunting 
the bird soars perpendicularly in the air, have frequently 
— resemble the larks in the great length of the hinder 
afforded a theme for the poet; indeed the power of 
claw, but have stout conical bills, like the preceding 
his song is most extraordinary, as it may be distin- 
species. The Snow-bunting is a winter visitor to 
guished long after the little body from which it issues 
Britain, its summer place of abode being the extreme 
is lost to sight, and when we may, with little help from 
northern parts of both hemispheres, where it breeds 
imagination, believe him, as Shakspeare has it, to be 
and rears its young. It measures about seven inches 
singitig at “ heaven’s gate.” In a wild state the lark 
in length, and has the top of the head reddish-brown ; 
seldom sings but when on the wing, and even in con- 
the back variegated with black and brown; the primary 
fmement he flutter's his wings and presses against the 
and secondary quill-feathers black, with narrow white 
wires of his cage, as it he would lain be soaring in the 
edges ; the wing-coverts and tertials white, the middle 
air. His song lasts for about eight months in the 
tail-feathers black edged with white, the three outer 
year; and during the summer he will sing the whole 
ones on each side white, bordered at the apex with 
day through, from the very first appearance, of dawn 
black; and the lower surface white with a reddish- 
until after sunset; he also appears to be a long-lived 
brown tinge on the breast and flanks. In summer the 
bird, for Mr. Yarrell mentions an instance of one that 
head becomes white, the back black, and the breast 
lived nineteen years and a half in a cage. 
loses its reddish tint. This is the state properly called 
The Skylark feeds upon seeds of various kinds. 
the Snow-bunting or Snow-flake ; in other conditions 
insects, and worms. Its nest is built upon -the ground. 
of plumage, the birds are known as Tawny Buntings 
under a clod of earth or tuft of herbage, in a corn-field 
and Mountain Buntings. 
or meadow. The materials of the nest are grasses of 
In this country the young birds are the first to make. 
various thickness, and other vegetable fibres. The 
their appearance, accompanied by females ; the adult 
eggs are four or five in number, of a grayish-white 
nudes come rather later. The birds are more abundant 
colour with a greenish tint, mottled with dark-gray 
in the northern and mountainous ]iarts of the country 
and brown ; the bird generally rears two broods in a 
than in the south ; they frequent elevated pastures 
season. During winter the Skylarks assemble in 
