JG auU H /ieJICJiuktir.deb et- ìith .
CENTROPHANES LAPPONICA.
Lapland Bunting.
Emberiza lapponica, Nilss. Orn. Suec., tom. i. 157.
Fvinxjilla calcarata, Pall. Itin., tom. ii. p. 710.
----------lapponica, Gmel. edit. Linn. Syst. Nat., tom i. p. 90.
Emberiza calcarata, Temm. Man. d’Orn., p. 190.
Plectroplianes lapponica, Selby, Trans. Linn. Soc., vol. xv. p. 150, pi. 1.
■ ■ . __ calcaratus, Meyer, 3. Theil des Taschenb. Deutscbl. Yog., p. 67.
Centrophanes lapponica, Kaup, Natiirl. Syst., p. 158.
'rom the date, now somewhat more than forty years ago, when Mr. Selby first assigned this species a place
1 onr avifiinna, many examples have been shot or captured in this country. In most instances they were either
nmature or in the winter dress ; it is evident, therefore, that the British Islands are not the bird s summer
ome, and that its occurrence here most Ire regarded as purely accidental. The specimen characterized
y Mr. Selby had been sent to Leadenlmll market with sòme Larks from Cambridgeshire ; a second and a third
re re taken near Brighton ; a fourth a few miles northward of London ; a fifth in Lancashire, and a sixth in
Vestinoreland. During tile autumn of 1866 one was caught near Highgate, anil subsequently placed in the
viary of the Zoological Society; and another is recorded by Mr. Cooke, of Liskard, as baying been purchased
in the Liverpool market from a Southport bird-catcher. Mr. Stevenson, of Norwich, also records
hat a male was taken, during extremely severe weather, at Postwick, near that city, and, being
llaced in the aviary of J . H. Gurney, Esq., assumed the full summer plumage in the following spring.
‘The only other Norfolk specimen of this Bunting I have either seen or heard of,” says Mr. Stevenson,
‘was shown to me bv the Rev. E. J . Bell; it had been netted near Norwich, a few weeks before and
ras gradually assuming its summer plumage, having the black on the head and throat imperfect, with a chest-
int bar on the nape.'”. There may be some other instances of its having been taken with us ; but sufficient
MS been said to establish the Lapland or Lark-heeled Bunting as an occasional visitant to Britain. Its true
borne is whither the Fieldfare, the Redwing, and the lovely Blue-throated Warbler (Qmaecafe meccd) retire
For the purpose of incubating-the land of the Lap and the Lemming. There it breeds in abundance ; and if
any son of Britain desires to observe the bird during the performance of this duty, he must leave for a while
the song of the Lark and the tinkle of the sheep-bell, and betake himself to the fells, the fjelds, and fjords of
Norway, Finland, and Lapland, and dwell for a time among the nomadic races of those countries and their
herds of reindeer ; and how much pleasure he may derive thereby will be readily apparent from the following
chapterfrom Mr. -Wheelwright's papers entitled “ Spring and Summer in Lapland," which appeared in the
Field for March 31, 1863, and which cannot fail to be interesting to every one desirous of information
respecting this bird >v : ? . . . . . . . .. c , I
» The Lapland Banting appeared to arrive at Quickiock later than any other species, and, unlike the Shore-
Lark, did not rest in the lowlands, but went up to the fells at once; I don't think we saw six examples at Qu.ck.ock
the whole spring, whereas in the middle of June they were literally swarming in certain places¡on the te 11-
meadows—so much so that in one night we took thirteen nests, from all of which we shot the old birds
They seemed, however, to be very local ; and it was long before we could discover their breedmg-place. At last
we found a low flat at the foot of the highest snow-fells (but still, perhaps, 2000 feet above Quick,ock),
covered with tough tussocky grass and patches of willow bushes, and stndded with innumerable lakes and
watercourses. This was a rich tract to ns ; for here we also found the nests of the Blue-throa e ar ,
Broad-billed Sandpiper, Temminck's Stint, Wood-Sandpiper, Phalarope, Scaup and Long-tailed Ducks.
It is one of the'sweetest spots that can well be imagincd-a real oasis in the desert ; and I never enjoye a
summer ramble so much as in this wild tract. There are certain circumstances ,n life, as well as places, which
leave an impression on the mind never to be obliterated ; and this fell-meadow forms one of the brightest flowers
i n t h e f i e l d o f memory as regards my Lapland journey. „„u „f n„.
“ When I first searched this spot I was attracted by a soft loud pipe, very much resembling the cal o the
Golden Plover. It was long before I could make it out ; for I could not see the bird which uttered g : at last one
rose, and I shot it on the wing ; it proved to be a male Lap Bunting. The mystery was now sobed;and we
had no difficulty in finding the nest, as it was not far off: and I soon became more — j
The female rarely rises, unless you tread close to the nest, but runs away on the ground, much like the Pip .
Th H sits on a stone or help of earth, uttering his monotonous, plaintive whistle, g g H g W 1
rises Tn the air, much after the manner of the Common Bunting, soars for a while and then —