Jan., 1909. Birds of Illinois and Wisconsin — Cory. 



579 



IHinois. It was not uncommon about Chicago during the latter part 

 of January of the present year, and on February 14, the winter saw a 

 large flock in Jackson Park and two others containing from 15 to 20 

 individuals at Burnside. The notes are somewhat similar to those 

 of the Goldfinch but are not so loud. It is supposed to breed in 

 Wisconsin, but I find no authentic record of its having done so. Dr. 

 Hoy "supposed" it to breed in the pine regions, but did not appar- 

 ently find a nest. Kumlien and Hollister have never taken it in 

 Wisconsin in summer. Mr. Norman A. Wood found it common in 

 Ontonagon Co., Michigan, from Julv 15 to August 14, 1904. (The 

 Auk, Vol. XXII, 1905, p. 177.) 



Genus PLECTROPHENAX Stejneger. 



244. Plectrophenax nivalis (Linn.). 

 Snowflake. Snow Bunting. 



Distr.: Northern parts of northern hemisphere (Arctic Europe, 

 Asia, and North America), south in winter in United States as far as 

 Illinois, Kansas, etc.; breeds in the far north (Ungava, Greenland, 

 etc.). 



Adult in winter: Crown and cheeks, dull chestnut brown; back, 

 mixed black, buff, and chestnut; under parts, white; breast, with 



more or less of a band 

 of chestnut brown; sides, 

 washed with pale brown; 

 basal portion of primaries 

 and most of secondaries, 

 white ; the terminal portion 

 '■ of most of the primaries, 

 black, tipped with white; 

 the inner secondaries, 

 mostly black (when flying, 



greater portion of wing 



Snow BunUn-. appears whitc) ; thrcc outcr 



tail feathers, mostly white, rest of tail feathers, blackish, tipped with 

 ashy wdiite or buffy white; bill, yellowish. 



The summer plumage is black and white, but the species does not 

 occur within our limits at that season. 



Length, 6.50; wing, 4.15; tail, 2.75; bill, .38. 



A common winter resident in Wisconsin and northern Illinois. It 

 is gregarious and frequents open fields and prairies. 



