Migration Records op Kansas Birds 145 



529a. Astragalinus tristis palUdus — Pale Goldfinch. 



" . . . . three collected in March . . . and April. ..." I believe 

 that, in time, this alleged subspecies will be entirely discredited. 

 The above statement seems to me to involve a palpable error: If 

 even an expert cannot differentiate tristis and pallidus, in the 

 breeding plumage,— UNLESS HE KNOWS WHENCE THE SPECI- 

 MENS CAME!, — how can any one pronounce on the specific status 

 of birds in the eclipse plumage? (It may not be impertinent to 

 state that I have been trying, for months, to " run to earth " a 

 really typical specimen of pallid^is: but have failed. A male from. 

 Alberta proved to be tristis!) 

 537. Calcarius pictus — Smith, (better, Painted), Longspun 



"A common winter sojourner." Thus I found it, in Coffey 

 county, a quarter-century ago. Of late years I have never seen one. 



539. RUyncoplianes mccowni — McCown Longspur. 



" Common in winter in western Kansas." Unquestionably 

 breeds there. 



540. Pooecetes gramdneus conflnis — Western Vesper Sparrow. 



" Migratory in western Kansas." Undoubtedly breeds there. 

 546a. Artvmodramus sai>annarum hivmcukitus — Western Grasshop- 

 . per Sparrow. 



"The Museum records Cbimacttlatus) May 3 to December 3." 

 One naturally infers from this statement that the Western Grass- 

 hopper breeds in eastern Kansas. This is counter to all experience: 

 that a type-species and its sub- should both breed in identical lo- 

 calities. 

 547. — Passerherbulus hensloivi — Henslow Sparrow. 



" Rare summer resident." Fairly common, some seasons, in 

 Marshall county. (Only an expert can identify this sparrow, " in 

 the bush "; and even then only by its laconic note, — " T'sirp," — or 

 " D'sert"). 

 549.1 Passerher'bulus nelsoni — Nelson Sparrow. 



"A rare summer resident." IMPOSSIBLE! I have never found 

 nelsoni, in summer, south of Benson county. North Dakota. Had 

 it occurred, in the several regions to the south of that region, 

 where I have been, I should most certainly have recognized it, 

 for its note is unique: just a squeezed-out,— " Kre-e-zhl." (How 

 many younger students know that the Nelson Sparrow absolutely 

 hides its nest: which is the daintiest, most-elaborate sparrow fab- 

 ric extant, save that of the Le Conte Sparrow, — with which, how- 

 ever, it is quite identical)? 

 553. Zonotrichia querula — Harris Sparrow. 



"... rare winter resident." This is utterly counter to my re- 

 peated experience: In both the Kansas regions wherein I havii 



