THE SNOWFLAKE. 99 



but a bubonic plague scare operates very effectually to reduce tlieir numbers. 

 No doubt there will be English Sparrows in cities as long as there are brick- 

 bats, but a clear recognition of their detestable qualities should lead every 

 sensible person to deny them victuals and shelter. The House Sparrow is no 

 longer e.xterminable, Ijut he may be. )iiiisf be kept within bounds. 



No. 36. 



SNOWFLAKE. 



A. O. U. No. 534. Plectrophenax nivalis 1 Linn.) 



Synonym. — Sxow BuxTixG. 



Description. — Adult male in summer: Pure white save for bill, feet, middle 

 of back, scapulars, bastard wing, the end half of primaries and inner secondaries, 

 and the middle tail-feathers, which are black. Female in summer: Similar, but 

 upperparts streaked all over with black, and the black wings largely replaced 

 by fuscous. Adults in winter: Entire upperparts overcast with browns — rusty 

 or seal brown — clear on crown, gra)'ish and mottled with dusky centers of 

 feathers on back, scapulars, etc. ; also rusty ear-patches, and a rusty collar, with 

 faint rusty wash on sides. The black of wing and tail-feathers is less pure 

 (fuscous in the female) and edged with white or tawny. Length 6.50-7.00 

 (165.1-177.8) ; wing 4.12 (104.6) ; tail 2.54 (64.5) : bill .40 (10.2). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size ; conspicuously and uniquelv white, with 

 blacks and Ijruwns above. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. "Nest: on the ground in the 

 sphagnum and tussocks of Arctic regions, of a great quantit}^ of grass and moss, 

 lined profusely with feathers. Eggs: 4-6, verj' variable in size and color, about 

 .90 X .65 (22.9 X 16.5), white or whitish, speckled, veined, lilotched, and marbled 

 with deep browns and neutral tints" (Coues.). 



General Range. — "Northern parts of the northern hemisphere, breeding in 

 the Arctic regions : in North America south in winter into the northern United 

 States, irregularly to Georgia, southern Illinois, Kansas and Oregon." 



Range in Washington. — East-side, of regular occurrence in open countrv ; 

 casual west of the Cascades. 



Migrations. — Nov. 4. 1899 (Yakima County). March 17. 1896 (Okanogan 

 County ) . 



Authorities. — |"Snow Bunting," Johnson, Rep. Gov. \V. T. 1884 (1885), 

 22.] Dawson, Auk, NR". 1897. 178. "T. D'. D-\ B. E. 



Specimens.— (U. of W.) Prov. B. E. P. 



I WELL remenibier mv first meeting with this prince of storm waifs, 

 the Snowflake. It was in Chelan County on a chillv dav in December. A 

 distant-faring, feathered stranger had tempted me across a bleak pasture, 

 when all at once a fluttering snowdrift, contrary to Nature's wont, rose from 



