( 126 ) 
The Snow-Bird from HudfonVBay. 
T HIS Bird is here figured of its natural Bignefs, and agrees exactly in Size 
and Shape with our great Pyed Mountain-Finch, or Brambling, \Montijrin - 
gill a Major ] of which Genus it is certainly another Species, if it be not that very 
individual Species itfelf, changed to this white Colour by the Coldnefs of the Northern 
Climate. 
The Bill is of a brown Colour next the Head, and blackifh at the Point: The 
lower Mandible has on each Side an Angle, which is received into Cavities or Dents 
on the Side of the upper Mandible ; in the Roof of the Mouth is a Knob or Riling 
as in the Bunting and Yellow-Hammer : (I have alfo obferved the fame in our greater 
Pyed Mountain-Finch, tho’ it be not taken Notice of by Authors,) which is fuppofed 
to help them to bruife or break hard Grain. The Head, Neck, and whole under 
Side of the Bird is White, except a fmall black Spot on the Hinder-part of the Plead. 
The Back and the Feathers immediately covering the Tail are Black, the Rump be-' 
tween them is White. The Quills for the firfb three or four next the Back are Black, 
the next to them (or the Middle ones) are White, the longeft or outermoft Quills 
are Black at their Tips and White at their Bottoms. All the Covert-Feathers of the 
Wings are White, except a few that fall over the black Quills next the Back; the Co¬ 
vert-Feathers within Side of the Wings are alfo White. The Tail is compofed of 
twelve Feathers, the fix middlemoft are Black, and three on each Side are White, 
with a fmall Dafh of Black down their Shafts at the Tips. The Legs, Feet and Claws 
are of the common Structure in fmall Birds, all of a black Colour. 
This Bird was brought from Hudfon' s-Bay by Mr. IJham. He fays, it is one of the 
fir ft fmall Birds that appear in the Spring, while the Earth is yet cover’d with Snow, 
which has given it the Name of Snow-Bird. In Linnaeus' s Hiftory of Swedijh Animals 
this fame Bird is deferibed and figured, fee P. 73, Avis nivalis. Tab. 1. Fig. 194, 
fo that this Bird proves to be equally an Inhabitant of Europe and America . Some 
Time fince being inform’d that there were fome Snow-Birds brought alive from Hud- 
fon's-Bay , I went on board a Ship to fee them, and found them to be no other than our 
Great Pyed Mountain-Finch. This was about the latter End of September , when the 
perfect Whitenefs and Blacknefs was changed into a brown and yellowifh Colour, with 
fome White ; fo that I believe this and ours do not fpecifically differ, but that they 
are changed White in the extreme Cold and Northern Parts of the World, as moft other 
Animals are during the Winter Seafon. Mr. Catejby in his Hiftory of Carolina , Vol. I. 
P. 36. has figured and deferibed a much fmaller Bird than this by the fame Name : His 
Defcription is, “ the Snow-Bird. The Bill of this Bird is White, the Bread and 
“ Belly White, all the reft of the Body Black, but in fome Places duftcy, inclining to 
“ Lead-Colour. In Virginia and Carolina , they appear only in Winter, and in Snow 
“ they appear moft”. The common Magpye was brought from Hudfim's-Bay with 
this Bird. 
*The 
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