SNOW BUNTING. 
185 
When in Norway we saw the Snow Buntings in their 
beautiful summer-plumage of black and white, and suc¬ 
ceeded in finding a single nest and young ones under 
some loose stones upon one of the larger islands. 
It will be seen from the various accounts of this species 
which I have quoted, that it varies the lining of its nest 
considerably, according to circumstances, soft materials 
of any kind being difficult to procure in those sterile, 
thinly peopled countries. 
The eggs are from four to six in number, and are sub¬ 
ject to great variety ; some are like those of the tribe of 
birds to which it belongs, whilst others are exactly like 
those of the green-linnet. Mr. Hancock, of Newcastle, 
lias a variety thickly marked all over with spots of a 
reddish and purple hue, and much resembling eggs of the 
spotted flycatcher. 
The variety of the egg figured, which is, I think, the 
most common, is from the collection of Mr. Salmon. 
Mr. Wolley has met with this species during the breed¬ 
ing* season on several of the highlands of Feroe ; and 
from Finland where he now is, waiting the breeding 
season, he has sent me the following notes : “ In these 
dreary spots a simple echo-less song draws one's attention 
to the handsome cock bird. He sits upon a fragment of 
rock, cheering his sombre-coloured mate, who is brooding 
over her treasure in some sunless hole not far off. In 
some place, where the ground is covered with rough 
stones, he has found a dry recess, in which, with his 
partner's help, he has built a compact nest of the finest 
grass stalks, and lined it with feathers. In such an arti¬ 
ficial cradle as I have just suggested, I left five young 
snowfinches upon a mountain in Finland. It was on the 
22nd of June, and they were, apparently, about a week 
old." 
