118 PLECTROPHAXES NIVALIS, SNOW BUNTING. 



PLECTEOPHANES NIVALIS, (Linn.) Meyer. 



Snow BtitUing; Snow-flake. 



Eniheriza nivalis, Link., Svst. Nat. i, 1766, 308 (accordiug to Grav, type of the genus). — 

 FoKST., Philos. Traus. Ixii, 1772, 403.— Gm., Svst. Nat. i^l78.^, 8C6.— Lath., Ind. 

 Orn. i, 1790, 397.— WiLS., Am. Orn. iii, 1811, 86, pi. 21, fig. 2.— Bp.. Syii. 1828, 

 103.— NUTT., Man. i, 1832, 458.— Aud., Orn. Biog. ii, 1834, 515; v, 496; pi. 189. 



Emheriza {Plccirophanus) nivalis, Bp., Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 89. — S\v. & Rich., F. B. A. 

 ii, 1831, 247. 



Pleciroplumus nivalis, Meyer, aud authors generally. — Bp., List, 1838, 37. — Aud., Syn. 

 1839 : B. Am. iii, 55, pi. 155.— Gin., B. L. L 1844, 97.— Maxim., J. f. O. vi, 1858, 

 345.— Bd., B. N. a. 1858, 432.— Couks & Prext., Smiths. Rep. for 1861 (1862), 

 411 (Washington, D. C.).— Allen, Pr. Ess. Inst, iv, 1861, 70 (breeding in 1862 

 near Springfield, Mass.). — Newu., Ibis, 1865, 502 (Spitzbergen.) — Dall & Bann., 

 Tr. Chic. Acad, i, 1869, 282 (Alaska, breeding).— Ti;rni5.,'B. E. Pa. 1869, 22 ("of 

 frequent occurrence," Dec. to Mar.). — Mayn., Guide, 1870, IIJ (Jlassachu- 

 setts). — Coop., B. Cal. i, 1870, 177 (does not state it has occurred in California). — 

 Trippe, Pr. Ess. Inst, vi, 1871, 116 (Minnesota, Nov. to May). — Allen, Bulh 

 M. C. Z. iii, 1872, 177 (Kansas).— Finsch, Abh. Nat. iii, 1872, .54 (Alaska).— 

 CouES, Key, 1872, 133.— B. B. & R., N. A. B. i, 1874, 512, pi. 24, f. 2. 



Eihhpviza moniana, Gii., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 867. — Lath., Ind. Orn. i, 1790, 398. 



Emheriza mnstclina, Gm., Syst. Nat. i, 1788, 867. 



Emheriza r/lacialis. Lath., Ind. Orn. i, 1790, 398. 



Horfulaiiun (jlaeialis et montanus, Leacii, Cat. 1816, 15, 16. 



Plectroplianes borealis, montanus, miistelinus, Brehm, V. D. 305, 306. 



ZTfl?).— ^Arctic America and Greenland, and corresponding latitudes in the Old World. 

 Irregularly southward in winter in the United States, to about 35-, in roving flocks. 

 Washington, D. C. Georgia. Ohio. Illinois. Kentucky. Kansas. Deer Creek. 



List of sxiccimens. 



Deer Creek 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



9 

 9 



F.V.Hayden- 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



G. ir. Trook. 



do 



do 



The Snow-flake is extremely abundant in tbe Missouri reoiou iu win- 

 ter. They reached Fort Randall November 15, 1872, after a severe 

 cold snap with a light snow-fall, and as I write (January, 1873), great 

 numbers are swirling over the ground around, and in the fort. They 

 keep pretty closely iu flocks numbering from a dozen or so to several 

 hundred, and, though they spread over the ground a good deal in run- 

 ning about after seeds, they fly compactly, and wheel all together. In 

 their evolutions they present a pretty sight, aud have a not displeasing 

 stridulent souihI, from mingling of the weak chirrups from so many 

 throats. They are quite unsuspicious, trooping about our very door- 

 steps in search of food, unconscious of real danger ; but their natural 

 timidity, as well as restlessness, is so great, that they seem to constantly 

 take causeless alarm, scurr.ving oft" in an instant, but, perhaps, only to 

 returu to the same spot iaimediately. They are readily a[)proached 

 within a few leet, and as readily taken with horse-hair suares, in box- 

 traps, or by other simple devices. They do not api)ear to sufler with 

 the cold, although the thermometer has been down to 30^ below zero ; 

 those that 1 secured were in good condition, and proved excellent eat- 

 ing. Their crops were usually found crammed with the small seeds of 

 a plant that grows here in profusion. It may not be generally known 

 that these little Sparrows have a definitely circumscribed dilation of the 



