THE BIRD BOOK 



537. Smith's Longspur. Calcarius pictus. 



Range. — Breeds in Hudson Bay and Mac- 

 kenzie River districts and winters south to 

 Texas chiefly o nthe Plains. 



This species is of the size 

 of the last but is a rich buff 

 color below, and the other 

 markings are very different. 

 These birds together with 

 the next species are very 

 common on the prairies in 

 central United States in win- Grayish 



ter. They nest on the ground like the preced- 

 ing species but the nests are scantily made of 

 grasses and not warmly lined like those of the 

 last. The eggs are similar but paler; size .80 

 X .60. Data. — Herschell Island, Arctic Ocean, 

 June 10, 1901. Nest built in a tuft of grass; 

 made of fine roots and grass, lined with feath- 



Smith'.s Longspur 



538. Chestnut-collared Longspur. Calcaiiiia onnifus. 



Range. — Plains in the interior of North America, breeding from Kansas north 

 to Saskatchewan; very abundant in the Dakotas and Montana. 



This handsome species in the breeding plumage has the 

 throat white, breast and belly black, and a chestnut collar on 

 the nape. They are one of the most abundant breeding birds 

 on the prairies, nesting in hollows on the ground either in the 

 open or protected by a tuft of grass. The nests are made of 

 grasses and sometimes moss; three or four eggs laid in June 

 or July; white, blotched, lined 

 marked 



Dull white 



and obscurely 



with 



brown and purplish; size .75 x .55. 



539. McCown's Longspur. lihijnchophancs 

 Tnccowni. 



Range. — Great Plains, breeding from Kansas 

 to the Saskatchewan. 



This Longspur which breeds in company with 

 the preceding, throughout its range, can be dis- 

 tinguished from it by the 

 small black patch on the 

 breast, the black crown, and 

 chestnut wing coverts. Their 

 nesting habits are the same, 

 and at this season all the 

 Longspurs have a sweet song 

 often uttered during flight, 

 like that of the Bobolink. Their eggs are of the 

 same size and similarly marked as the last, but 

 the ground color is more gray or olive. 



334 



Grayish wliite 



Cliestnul-coUarcii L 



