Also snow bird, snowbird. [f. SNOW sb.1 Cf. Du. sneeuwvogel, G. schneevogel.]

1

  1.  One or other of various small European or American birds, esp. the snow-bunting (Plectrophanes nivalis), snow-finch (Montifringilla nivalis), or snow-sparrow (Junco hiemalis).

2

  In the first group of quotations there is some indication of the precise bird intended.

3

  (a)  1688.  Phil. Trans., XVII. 996. The Snow-bird which I take to be much the same with our Hedge Sparrow; this is so called because it seldom appears about Houses but against Snow or very cold Weather.

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1709.  J. Lawson, Hist. Carolina, 146. The Snow-Birds are most numerous in the North Parts of America, where there are great Snows…. They are like the Stones Smach, or Wheat-Ears.

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1750.  G. Edwards, Nat. Hist. Birds, III. Pl. 126. The Snow-Bird from Hudson’s Bay. This Bird … agrees exactly in Size and Shape with our great Pyed Mountain-Finch, or Brambling.

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1771.  J. R. Forster, trans. Kalm’s Trav. N. Amer., II. 81. The Swedes call a species of little birds, Snofogel, and the English call it Snow-bird.

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1802.  Montagu, Ornith. s.v. Bunting, Snow, Snow-bird. Snow-flake.

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1810.  A. Wilson, Amer. Ornith., II. 129. Snow-Bird, Fringilla nivalis. Ibid., 131. The Snow-bird is six inches long, and nine in extent.

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1839.  Audubon, Syn. Birds N. Amer., 106. Niphæa, Snow-Bird. Ibid., 107. Niphæa Oregona, Oregon Snow-Bird.

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1853.  Kane, Grinnell Exped., xli. (1856), 379. Crowds of little snow-birds (Emberiza and Plectrophanes), with white breasts and jetty coverts.

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1884.  Coues, N. Amer. Birds, 377. Junco.… Snow Sparrows. Snow-birds. Ibid. J[unco] hiemalis,… Eastern Snow-bird, Black Snow-bird.

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  (b)  1798.  Miss H. M. Williams, Tour Switzerland, II. App. 293.

          Her sledgy-car, with sparkling frost-work bright,
O’er the pellucid ice her snow-birds drew,
  And on her fleecy robe refracted light
The full-blown rose’s vermeil colours threw.

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1820.  Scoresby, Acc. Arctic Regions, I. 535. The snow-bird, though so delicate in its appearance, is almost as ravenous as the fulmar.

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1841.  Bryant, Poems, Winter-Piece, 30. The snow-bird twitter’d on the beechen bough.

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1880.  W. Newton, Serm. for Boys (1881), 358. The little snow-birds seem to enjoy it all.

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1883.  Century Mag., XXVI. Sept., 681/2. From the first nest … to the last, which was that of a snow-bird.

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  2.  The ivory gull, Pagophila eburnea.

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1831.  Rennie, Montagu’s Ornith. Dict., 470. Snow Bird, (Larus eburneus).

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1843.  Yarrell, Brit. Birds, III. 449. Larus candidus, The Snow-bird.

20