JOURNAL OB* MAII^EJ ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



43 



one for Maine where it bred beyond 

 the confines of the Canadian fauna: 

 this instance was recorded by Mr. 

 Everett Smith in his Birds of Maine, 

 being quoted from a letter from Mr. 

 James C. Mead of North Bridgton 

 where the phenomena was observed. 

 The quotation is so interesting that it 

 is given in full. "The Pine linnets 

 (C //«/«) were abundant here in the 

 winter of 1877-78 and remained as late 

 as May 6. April 2 I took a female 

 containing eggs, one of which was 

 nearly ready to be laid. April 24 I 

 found a nest of this species contain- 

 ing four young birds. The nest was 

 on the branch of a 'hard pine' tree 

 four feet from the trunk, and twenty- 

 five feet above the water of the lake 

 [Long Pond] over which the branch 

 projected. The nest was loosely 

 built of fine twigs, mosses, and root- 

 lets, and received most of its support 

 from the Pine needles which grew out 

 from the branch on which it was 

 placed." 



(Forest & Stream XIX, p. 466, Jan. 

 11, 1883.) 



While this indicates early breeding, 

 Mr. William Brewster described the 

 Juvenal plumage from a specimen 

 taken at Upton, Me., August 18, 1873. 

 (Bull. Nutt. Orn. C. Ill, p 117) which 

 would indicate a long breeding pe- 

 riod and perhaps more than one 

 brood. The nest described by Mr. 

 Mead seems to be characteristic in its 

 height, and position in an evergreen 

 tree. 



Passerina nivalis (Linn). Snowflake, 

 Snow-Bunting or "Snow-bird." 



Of common occurrence throughout 

 the state between October 15th and 

 April 1st. Mr. Nathan Clifford Brown 

 has reported its occurrence near 

 Portland as late as April 12, (Proc. 

 Port Soc, N. H., II, p. 13 ), while Mr. C. 

 J. Maynard has been quoted as the 

 authority for the report of "A flock 

 of Snowflakes on Mt. Katahdin early 

 in August." (N. E. Bird Life I, p. 

 232.) 



While it is a species of regular 

 occurrence, it is a wandering bird ap- 

 pearing in small, or in very large 

 flocks pausing for a period, from a few 

 minutes to a few days if food is abun- 

 dant, and then dashing away to other 

 fields. 



The movement of a large flock of 

 these buntings on one occasion excit- 

 ed my interest in a large degree, as 



it suggested most vividly the signifi- 

 cance of migratory birds in the econ- 

 omy of nature. This was on Feb- 

 ruary 16, 1903; snow covered the 

 ground to some depth, leaving only 

 the tall weeds of the garden protrud- 

 ing above its surface. All at once 

 the scene was enlivened by the ap- 

 pearance of about two hundred of 

 these birds, which with an unrivalled 

 vigor, dashed about, examining every 

 weed, seizing upon all available seed. 

 As those at one end of the flock had 

 exhausted the supply at hand they 

 rose and flew over their flellows to an 

 ungleaned place; thus the scene was 

 one of almost violent action as the 

 flock seemed to roll over and over 

 until the limit of the supply was 

 reached when at some instance all 

 rose and sought another patch where 

 the scene was repeated. When this 

 too, had been gleaned, with one ac- 

 cord all united in a pleasing chorus 

 of voices and mounted high into the 

 air where they disappeared from 

 view. 



Examination showed the weeds so 

 rapidly inspected had been gleaned 

 of their seed. 



With us it rarely perches in trees. 



Calcnrius lapponicus (Linn.). Lap- 

 land Langspur. 



This bird is accounted a rare winter 

 visitor in Maine. As a migrant how- 

 ever it is probably not infrequent, as- 

 sociating with Horned Larks when 

 its presence would be detected only 

 by those very familiar with either 

 species. Though cited, — undoubtedly 

 upon Mr. Boardman's authority — in 

 most of the Maine lists since Holmes 

 of 1861, Mr. Nathan Clifford Brown 

 was the first to give a definite record, 

 mentioning two specimens from the 

 vicinity of Portland, one of which 

 was taken on the 26th of October 1876. 

 (Proc. Port. Soc. N. H. 11, p. 13). Mr. 

 Knight cites its occurrence at Knox, 

 Oxford, Piscataquis and Washington 

 counties. (Birds of Maine p. 95). 

 The Knox county record, of which 

 the locality is given, is based upon 

 the specimen in the collection of the 

 writer, which was taken at Clark's 

 Island, St. George, Me., March 16, 

 1896, by Mr. Chas. Bohm. It is a sig- 

 nificant fact that it was associating 

 with Horned Larks and was supposed 

 to be one until after its capture. This 

 specimen is also recorded in the 

 Maine Sportsmen, June 1897, page 20. 



