The Birds of Wyoming. 125 



terminate these birds, whose continual monotonous notes are 

 enough to drive any sane man distracted. Not only this, they 

 drive away the few song birds that would gladly seek our 

 towns for a home, and also possess many other disagreeable 

 traits. 



534. Passerina nivalis (Linn.). 

 Snowflake. 

 Winter resident ; rather common and found in large flocks. 

 While these birds have often been observed all of the known 

 specimens have been taken by Bond and Jesurun. Bond has 

 six skins in his collection which were taken on Feb. 17 to 19, 

 1889. Jesurun has taken this species at Douglas in November, 

 species about Laramie : but have never taken any specimens. 

 I am aware that Ridgway has recently (Bui. No. 50, Birds of 

 North and Mid. America, p. 148) placed this bird under the 

 name Passerina nivalis nivalis (Linn.). Whether this will 

 take the place of 534 of the Check List or is to be given a place 

 as 534b I have been unable to learn. 



536 a. Calcarius lapponicus alascensis Ridgw. 

 Alaskan Longspur. 

 Winter resident and rather common. Prior to Mr. Ridg- 

 December and February. I have often seen flocks of this 

 way describing this variety all of the Wyoming records were 

 placed under Calcarius lapponicus. It has been thought best 

 to refer all of the records to this new variety, since Wyoming 

 is wholly within the geographical limitation assigned by Mr. 

 Ridgway. Drexel reported this species as early as 1857, from 

 Fort Laramie ; Coues reports three specimens from Deer creek 

 and one from the source of the Cheyenne river ; Jesurun has 

 two skins in his collection that were taken Feb. 17 and Nov. 

 29, 1893; Bond has two specimens that were taken Feb. 17 

 and 18, 1889. There are three skins in the University collec- 

 tion that were taken on the 1st and 3d of April, 1899. 



