SNOW BU NT ING.
Plectrophanes nivalis, Meyer.
Le Bruant de neige.
The Snow Bunting may be strictly pronounced a migratory species throughout the temperate countries of
Europe, visiting them at the commencement o f winter, and enlivening the bleak hills and barren shores which
at this season o f the year are deserted by those birds whose instinct bas directed them to seek more southerly
and consequently milder regions. Thé summer residences o f this neat and chastely, plumaged bird are well
ascertained to be the northern hemispheres of the continents of Europe and America, over which portions of
the globe it is generally and even universally diffused. The most wild and dreary spots of the northern parts
of the latter continent are, according to the accounts o f persevering travellers who have visited those regions,
animated with the presence of the Snow Bunting. Dr. Richardson informs us, that Southampton Island,
situated m the 62nd parallel, (where this species was observed by Captain Lyon,) is the most southern locality
which has been discovered as its breediug-place. As soon as the task o f incubation is accomplished, they
commence their migrations towards warmer regions, although, by the authority of the above-mentioned traveller,
they do not hasten southwards with that immediate alacrity which distinguishes the passage of many other
small birds; they linger rather in the vicinity o f forts by the seaside and other exposed places, subsisting on
the seeds of grasses, and performing their journey by short stages until the approach of colder weather quickens
their progress ; indeed the visits of the Snow Bunting to our own island seem to depend very much on the
severity of the .winter in their northern retreafs. The Shetland and Orkney Islands are their first resting-
places, whence they proceed to the Highlands of Scotland, then the Cheviot-hills, and finally distribute themselves
over the southern barren districts of the British Isles. Mr. Selby informs us, that “ they arrive at the
latter end o f October, and generally in very large fiocks, which seem chiefly to consist o f the young of the year
with a few adults intermixed, and afterwards, if the season should be severe, small flocks are seen, principally
consisting of adult male birds in their winter dress.” On the Continent they annually visit the North of Ger-
many, France and Holland, in the latter o f which, countries M. Temminck states them to be very abundant,
particularly by the sea-side, a situation to which they evince a partiality in our own Island, especially if a flat
and sandy shore prevails. From all these places, on the approach of spring, they again flock to the northern
latitudes, whence they originally came.
The Snow Bunting is subjected to a considerable variety o f plumage, o f which either sex, age, or season is
the cause. The decided and contrasted plumage represented in the lower figure is not attained until maturity,
and is then only observable in the summer season, at which time the male and female offer less distinction
than is given in the accompanying Plate, the upper figure of which represents an immature bird in the plumage
characteristic of the greater portion of those individuals who visit England. In this state it has been called the
Tawny Bunting, and regarded by many authors as a distinct species. As the lengthened hind claw would lead
us to conclude, the habits o f this bird induce it to frequent rocks and arid districts, where they run with great
celerity and are never known to perch on trees ; and from the beak being destitute o f the palatine knob, it has
been separated with great propriety from the other Buntings.
The situations chosen for the nests o f this species are niches in the rocks of mountainous places, and sometimes
upon fiat shores among large stones. The nest is formed o f dried grass neatly lined with hair or
feathers. The eggs are six or seven in number, of a pale flesh colour, speckled with minute dots, and blotched
at the larger end with reddish brown. Their food consists o f the seeds o f alpine plants, and the larvæ of
various insects.
The adult male in summer has the head, neck, under parts, outer tail-feathers and centre of the wings pure
white ; the remainder o f the plumage, the feet, and bill black ; irides dark brown. The female at this season
differs only in having the back o f the head, side o f the chest, and a portion o f the neck and breast tinged with
rufous, and the other parts o f the plumage of a less pure black. The male of the first year, the female, and
adult birds in winter offer but little difference in the colour of the plumage. The upper figure in the Plate
represents a bird in this stage, and the colouring may be thus characterized. The top of the head, sides of
the breast, margin o f the scapulars, back, and tail-feathers reddish brown ; the throat, breast, four outer tail-
feathers, under parts, and centre o f the wings white ; each o f the back feathers has the centre brown ; the
quills and middle tail-feathers are also o f the same colour beak reddish brown : irides dark brown : lees
black. ë