112 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



shot on an apple-tree in Newtonville ; it was filled with 

 canker-worms. 



72. Plectrophanes nivalis, Meyer. — Snow-Bunt- 

 ing. Abundant winter visitor, especially on the sea-shore. 

 I have seen thousands rise at the report of my gun, on the 

 Ipswich Sand-hills, where it feeds upon the seeds of the 

 beach-grass. This species, with the preceding four and 

 P. Canadensis, are, while with us, always gregarious. Ar- 

 rives in November ; remains until April. 



73. Plectrophanes Lapponicus, Selby. — Lapland 

 Long spur, Lapland Bunting. Generally rare, but common 

 on the Ipswich Sand-hills, where it associates with the 

 preceding; its note is different, being more shrill, but 

 it has much the same habits. I have seen it with the 

 Shore Larks, but have never met with it alone. Its pro- 

 portion to the Snow-Bunting was about one in every 

 hundred. 



74. Chondestes grammacus, Swain. — Lark Finch. 

 Exceedingly rare or accidental in autumn. One taken in 

 Gloucester, in 1 845, by S. Jillson. 



75. Centronyx Bairdii, Baird. — Laird's Sparrow. 

 It is with pleasure that I add this unique sparrow to the 

 Catalogue of the Birds of Eastern Massachusetts. Previous 

 to the capture of this there was but one specimen extant, 

 which was one of the original birds captured by Audubon 

 upon the banks of the Yellowstone River, July 26, 1843. 

 My specimen, through the kindness of Professor S. F. 

 Baird, has been compared with the original, which is in his 

 possession, and pronounced identical; but as mine differs 

 somewhat from his, I have thought best to give a descrip- 

 tion of it here. * 



* " It differs in color just as clear autumnal birds differ from worn 

 breeding ones, — tints paler, markings more suffused, etc. The stripe 

 along the top of head is paler, not as fulvous as in the type ; but in all 

 essential points it seems to be the same bird." — Professor S. F. Baird, 

 in Epist. 



