428 HISTORY OF THE 



and hair. Eggs usually three or four, about .62x. 50; pale 

 greenish blue, speckled (chiefly around the larger end) with red- 

 dish brown; a few small black markings and lilac gray stains; 

 in form, oval to rounded oval. 



Genus PLECTROPHENAX Stejnegek. 

 Bill conical; the lower mandible higher than the upper; the sides of both 

 mandibles guarded by a closely-applied brush of stiffened, bristly feathers di- 

 rected forwards, and on the upper jaw concealing the nostrils; the outlines of 

 the bill nearly straight or slightly curved; the lower jaw considerably broader 

 at the base than the upper, and wider than the gonys is long. Tarsi consider- 

 ably longer than the middle toe; the lateral toes nearly equal (the inner claw 

 largest), and reaching to the base of the middle claw. The hinder claw very 

 long, moderately curved and acute, considerably longer than its toe; the toe and 

 claw together reaching to the middle of the middle claw or beyond its tip. 

 Wings very long and much pointed, reaching nearly to the end of the tail; the 

 first quill longest; the others rapidly graduated; the tertiaries a little longer than 

 the secondaries. Tail moderate, about two-thirds as long as the wings; nearly 

 even or slightly emarginated. {Bidgway.) 



Plectrophenax nivalis (Linn.). 



SNOWFLAKE. 

 PLATE XXVIL 



Winter visitant; rare. 



B. 325. K. 186. C. 219. G. 91, 210. U. 534. 



Habitat. Northern parts of the northern hemisphere; breed- 

 ing in the Arctic regions; in North America, south in winter, 

 into the northern United States; casually to Georgia, southern 

 Illinois and Kansas. 



Sp. Citar. ''Male: Colors, in spring plumage, entirely black and white. 

 Middle of back between scapulars, terminal half of primaries and tertiaries and 

 two innermost tail feathers black; elsewhere pure white. Legs black at all 

 seasons. In winter dress, white beneath; the head and rump yellowish brown, 

 as also some blotches on the sides of the breast; middle of back brown, streaked 

 with black; white on wings and tail much more restricted. First quill longest. 

 Female: In spring, continuous white beneath only; above, entirely streaked, the 

 feathers having blackish centers and whitish edges; the black streaks predomi- 

 nate on the back and crown. Young: Light gray above, with obsolete dusky 

 streaks on the back; throat and jugnlum paler gray, the latter with obsolete 

 streaks; rest of lower parts dull white. Wing coverts, secondaries and tail 

 feathers broadly edged with light ochraceous brown." 



