116 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



December 4, 1868, near one of these places, in search of 

 Lapland Longspurs, I started a sparrow from out the tall 

 grass, which flew wildly, and alighted again a few rods 

 away. I approached the spot, surprised at seeing a spar- 

 row at this late day so far north, especially in so bleak a 

 place. After some trouble I again started it. It -flew 

 wildly as before, when I fired, and was fortunate enough 

 to secure it. It proved to be Pallid Sparrow. When I 

 found I had taken a specimen which I had never seen be- 

 fore, — although at that time I did not know its name or 

 the interest attached to it, — I instantly went in search 

 of more. After a time I succeeded in starting another. 

 This one, however, rose too far oS for gunshot, and 

 I did not secm-e it. It flew away to a great distance, 

 when I lost sight of it. After this I thought that 

 among the myriads of Snow-Buntings that continually 

 rose a short distance from me I again detected it, but 

 I was perhaps mistaken. I am confident of having 

 seen it in previous years at this place, earlier in the 

 season. 



The above is the history of the capture of the first spe- 

 cimen. This is now in the Museum of the Boston Soci- 

 ety of Natural History. Two years later I captured two 

 more, one as early as the 14th of October ; then, the next 

 year, several additional examples, after which, in succeed- 

 ing seasons, quite a number were taken, not only at Ips- 

 wich, but at Brant Rock, and on Long Island. All of 

 these did not differ from the type, being autumnal speci- 

 mens ; and it was not until April, 1874, that I took the 

 first in spring plumage. This was shot on an apple-tree 

 at Ipswich, and was the first that I had ever seen away 

 from the salt-marshes or the sand-hills. Later, Mr. Clif- 

 ford N. Brown obtained specimens at Cape Elizabeth, Me., 

 while Mr. Brewster found it at Point Lepreaux, N.B., 

 and now Mr. Brown records it from Lake Umbagog, N.H. 



