SNOW BUNTING. 
221 
There is a singular appearance in this bird, which 
I have never seen taken notice of by former writers, 
viz. certain long black feathers, which extend, by equal 
distances beyond each other, above the eyebrow ; these 
are longer, more pointed, and of a different texture from 
the rest around them ; and the bird possesses th empower * 
of erecting them, so as to appear as if horned, like some 
of the owl tribe. Having kept one of these birds alive 
for some time, I was much amused at this odd appear- 
ance, and think it might furnish a very suitable specific 
appellation, viz. alauda cornuta , or horned lark. These 
horns become scarcely perceivable after the bird is dead. 
The head is slightly crested. 
Shore lark and sky lark are names by which this 
species is usually known in different parts of the Union. 
They are said to sing well, mounting in the air, in the 
manner of the song lark of Europe ; but this is only 
in those countries where they breed. I have never 
heard of their nests being found within the territory 
of the United States. 
GENUS XXXI. — EMBERIZA, Ltnnjeus. 
SUBGENUS, PLECTR OPHANIS, MEYER. 
154. EMBERIZA NIVALIS , LINN^US AND WILSON. 
SNOW BUNTING. 
WILSON, PLATE XXI. FIG. II. — EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 
This being one of those birds common to both con- 
tinents, its migrations extending almost from the very 
pole, to a distance of forty or fifty degrees around ; and 
its manners and peculiarities having been long familiarly 
known to the naturalists of Europe, I shall in this 
place avail myself of the most interesting parts of their 
accounts, subjoining such particulars as have fallen 
under my own' observation. 
“ These birds,” says Mr Pennant, “ inhabit not only 
Greenland,* but even the dreadful climate of Spitz- 
* Crantz, i, 77. 
