§ J O ¥ B T O U T I N '© .
Plectrophan.es nivalis,-/Jfa /erj.
SNOW BUNTING.
P le c tro p h an e s nivalis* M e y tr .
% Le B ru a n t de
T he Suow Bunting may he strictly pronounced a-migratory species- throughout the ten ^ -ra te 'countries di
Europe, visiting them at the commencement of Winter, and enlivening the bleak hills and barren si..ores which
at this season of the year are deserted by those birds whose “instinct has directed them to seek more southerly
and consequently milder regions. The summer residences of this neat and chastely, jdumaged bird are ¿ U
>f Europe and America, over which portions o f
ost wild ¿¡ad' dreary spot .•»' northern part*
rsevering travellers'n*hc bare visited' tfeose regions,
Richardson kfbrfra u
1 to be the northe
the glolni it is generally and
of the latter continent are, a*
animated with
The j
-prèsi
ouilierà
ch
■ Island ' fin
th e
situated in the 62nd parallel, (when
which, has been discovered as Its b
commence tHêir migroikag titfw&’du
they do not hasted southward p p
small birds : riiey tctffcwr in tlie vicinity o f forts by the sea-side and o
the seeds of grit,?res, and performing their journey by short stages mud u.. ,-t
their progress ; indeed the visite of the flnow Banting to our own «land
severity o f the wbter m ihctr .northern retreats. The Shetland and Ork.
places, whence ik y proceed to the Highlands of Scotland, then the Cheviot-hills, and finally distribi1
selves over the southern barren districts of the British Isles. Mr. Selby informs us, that “ they arru
end o f October, and generally b very large flocks, which seem chiefly to consist o f the young of the vear
«-•dth a few adults intermixed, and afterwards, if the season should be severe, small flocks are seen, principally
(totfsistfng o f adult male birds in their w inter dress.'* On the Contbent they aunualiy visit the North of Ger.
many, France and Holland, in the latter o f which countries M. Temminck states them to be very abundant,
(»rticularly by the sea-side, a situation to which they evince> partiality in our own Island, especially if a flat
««d-sandy shore prevails. From all those places, on the approach of spring, they again flock to the norther.
’ ruiues, whence they originally came.
The Snow Bunting is subjected to a considerable variety o f plumage, o f which either sex, âgé, f f selison is
the vmise. The decided and contrasted plumage represented in the lower figure is not attained until majturity,
and f.- then only observable in the summer season, a t which time the male and female offer'less distinction
S § * : » given in the accompanying Plate, the upper figure of which represents an immature bird in the
of the greate; portion o f those individuals who visit England. In tins state it ha« hcen.'-pstfSH ‘V-
i Bunting, and recorded by »nany authors us a dis* met speci e. As the. lengthened li'ihVi r'-.v. won t| It •
conclude, the habite o f this b.rd bdwrc îf m fretpteat am? ... id district*, w?**re they , withigreat
■■!,r: are never knmvn to perch o.-v - .-.. >)>,,. . ... beak k w . destitue pi the palatin« knob, | has
KtteP separated with great propriety from the other Buntings.
f k actuations chosen for the nests o f this species are niches in the rocks of mountainous places, ;uni 4>me-
«pèn flat shores among large stones. The nest is formed of dried gras«, nea% itikiP «hit hap or
'flie eggs are six o r seveu in number, of a pate flesh Colour, speckled with minute dot*, and blobbed
*; ’üw^r end with reddish brown. Their food consiste of the seed* o f âJpî»? and the larva: of
SKfetlk male in summer lias the head, neck, under parts, outer taii-feaihers and centre o f the wings pure
: # itomaiuder of the plumage, the feet, atwf bill black j ¡rides dark brown. The female at this ^ s o n
c«-;; in having the hack of the head, side of the chest, and a portion o f the neck and breast tinged with
p d l the other parts o f the ptumage cff a less pure black. The male of the first year, tne female v ¡.I
b winter offer but little diffi-reoce in the colour o f the plumage. The upper figure i# tile PUftto
.> bird in this stage, an 1 the colouring may he thus characterized. The top of the bead, sides of
?*#*#*$*> of the scapufass,htwk.and tail-feathers reddish brown; the throat, breast, fnnr outer tail-
r, »awksr parte, and centre of the wbgs white; each o f the back feathers la s tin» centre ferowaf the
«ad ddle tail-feathers arc also of the same colour beak reddish brown; si$aes. dark
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