The SEA BUNTING FINCH (_Ammodromus maritimus_) is about six or seven
inches long and from ten to eleven inches across the wings. The upper
portion of the body is greenish brown, the breast ash grey, the throat
and belly white, the bridles and a streak on the top of the head dark
grey; a yellow line passes over the eyes. The wings are yellow, bordered
by a broad crooked line of brown, the beak and feet are brown, the eyes
dark brown.
This very remarkable species does not resemble a Finch in its mode of
life, but dwells like a Sandpiper upon the sea-shore, and passes its
time in running nimbly and rapidly at the water's edge, or climbing
about among the reeds with the agility of a Reed Bunting. Its principal
nourishment consists of shrimps, small crabs, sea snails, and little
fishes, this food imparting to its flesh a flavour of train oil, so
generally observable in most sea birds. Marshes producing reeds and
high grass, and well covered with sea water, are the favourite resorts
of these birds, and there they build their nests, care being taken to
place them in some tuft of grass that is beyond the reach of the waves;
the little cradle is formed of coarse grass lined with a bed of finer
quality; the eggs, from four to six in number, are greyish white, spotted
with brown. As far as we can learn, they breed twice in the year.