516 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Habits. Tlie Lapland Longspur is an Arctic resident, belonging equally 

 to the two continents, rarely descending even in winter to temperate regions, 

 and then chiefly in its immature plumage. In Europe, according to Yarrell, 

 only a few specimens have been found in the British Islands, and these 

 were single indiA'iduals, mostly found in company with Larks. They have 

 also been taken in France, in Belgium, and in dilferent parts of Germany. 

 Degland states that these birds are occasionally snared on the coast at Dun- 

 kirk, and in the neighborhood of Antwerp, but these are always young- 

 males in tlieir winter plumage. 



Pennant states that it is found in Siberia, and near the Ural Mountains, 

 migrating in the winter as far south as Switzerland ; and, according to 

 Necker, they have also been taken, always in company with Larks, in the 

 vicinity of Geneva. It inhabits Norway, Sweden, the Faroe Islands, Spitz- 

 bergen, Iceland, and Greenland, in the summer. 



Eichardson mentions that the Lapland Bunting is common in the fur re- 

 gions, wintering on the coast of Hudson's Bay. During its stay it feeds on 

 grass-seed, the fruit of the juniper, and the pines. As he never met with 

 these birds during the winter, he suspects that their principal retreats are on 

 the borders of Lakes Huron and Superior, and the country westward. In 

 1827 they appeared on the plains, at the Carlton House, about the middle 

 of ]May, in very large flocks, in company with Shore Larks and the P. 'pida, 

 frequenting tlie open spots where the fires had destroyed the grass. In 

 the same season they came a few days later to the Cumberland House, and 

 kept constantly about the furrows of the new-ploughed fields. The year 

 before they had been, in smaller flocks, in the vicinity of Fort Franklin, 

 latitude 65°, in the beginning of May. Their crops were found filled with 

 seeds of the alpine arbutus. 



Mr. Audubon met with them in enormous flocks in Kentucky, about Feb- 

 ruary 15, 1819. They were in company with the Shore Larks and the Snow 

 Buntings. None of tliese were in perfect plumage. 



Mr. Eidgw^ay cites this as a common winter visitant in Southern Illinois, 

 abundant in unusually severe winters, either in large flocks b}' itself, or a 

 few individuals mixed up in flocks of Shore Larks. 



Mr. Dall gives May 12 as the date of the first arrival of these birds at 

 Nulato, and adds that it is not at any time a very common bird. He was 

 not able to find its nest at Nulato, but was informed by the Indians that it 

 builds on the bare hillsides, in hillocks of grass, and that it does not leave the 

 nest wlien any one approaches, but sits perfectly still, and thus often escapes 

 detection. He considers it a very fine singer. Specimens were received from 

 Sitka, obtained Ijy Bischoff'. To tliis account jVIr. Bannister adds that it is 

 by far the most abundant of the land-birds found at St. Michael's. It aj)- 

 peared on that island about the 6th of IMay, and from that time until aliout 

 the middle or latter part of September they were observed in great numbers 

 all over the island. He, too, Avas not successful in finding its nest, though 



