198 
SNOW BUNTING. 
far westward they extend I am unable to say. One of the most 
intelligent and expert hunters who accompanied captains Lewis 
and Clark on their expedition to the Pacific Ocean, informs me, 
that he has no recollection of seeing these birds in any part of 
their tour, not even among the bleak and snowy regions of the 
Stony mountains; though the little blue one was in abundance. 
The Snow Bunting derives a considerable part of its food 
from the seeds of certain aquatic plants, which may be one rea- 
son for its preferring these remote northern countries, so gene- 
rally intersected with streams, ponds, lakes and shallow arms 
of the sea, that probably abound with such plants. In passing 
down the Seneca river towards lake Ontario, late in the month 
of October, I was surprized by the appearance of a large flock 
of these birds feeding on the surface of the water, supported on 
the tops of a growth of weeds that rose from the bottom, growing 
so close together that our boat could with great difficulty make 
its way through them. They were running about with great 
activity; and those I shot and examined were filled, not only 
with the seeds of this plant, but with a minute kind of shell fish 
that adheres to the leaves. In these kind of aquatic excursions 
they are doubtless greatly assisted by the length of their hind 
heel and claws. I also observed a few on Table rock, above 
the falls of Niagara, seemingly in search of the same kind of 
food. 
According to the statements of those traders who have resided 
near Hudson’s bay, the Snow Buntings are the earliest of their 
migratory birds, appearing there about i:he eleventh of April, 
staying about a month or five weeks, and proceeding farther 
north to breed. They return again in September; stay till No- 
vember, when the severe frosts drive them southward. * 
The summer dress of the Snow Bunting is a tawny brown, 
interspersed with white, covering the head, neck and lower 
parts; the back is black, each feather being skirted with brown , 
wings and tail also black, marked in the following manner: — 
Lond. Phil. Trans. LXII, 403. 
