5J4 



LAPLAND LONGSPUR. 



neck. Center of feathers of back, very dai'k brown, this is edged witli chestnut and this in turn is bonlered 

 with buflf. Beneath, white tinged with buft", with sides and flanks streakeil with dark brown, bordered with 

 chestnut and buff'. Wings, dark Itrown, with the feathers edged with chestnut and buff. Tail also dark 

 Tirown, edged with buff, and tliere are longitudinal spots of white on the two outer feathers, that on the 

 outermost extends along the outer web for more than half its length. Adult female, similar, but duller, with 

 the black much obscured. Li winter, both se.xes have the black, especially on top of the head, much 

 concealed by whitish or reddish tijipings to the feathers and all the upper portion is much more broadly 

 streaked with chestnut and buft". Bill, reddish brown. L-is, brown. Feet, black. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Although the black markings are often obscured with lighter colors, especially in the female, they are 

 always distinguishable enough to render the species reognizable. For differences between this and allied 

 species of the same genus see observations under each species. Circumpolar regions, in summer ; south- 

 ward, in winter, in North America, occasionally as far as Washington, South Carolina andNortliern Texas. 



DIMENSIONS. 



E.xtreme measurements of thirty-twij s|)eciineus. Length, (i.lU to 

 3.30 to 4.00; tail, 2.30 to 2.75 ; bill, .-lO to .."iO: tarsus, .(m to .'Jo. 



00; stretch, lO.oO to 11.7.J ; wins 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nests, placed on the ground, composed of coarse grass, lined with fine grass and feathers. Eogs, four 

 or five in number, oval in form, greenish in color, spotted and blotched coarsely and often so thickly as nearly 

 or quite to obscure the ground color, with reddish brown, sometimes with dark chocolate, and occasionally 

 some specimens will be marked with zigzag lines of umber and dark brown. The thick, coarse, markings 

 are characteristic. Dimensions, from .(iO by .80 to .(1.5 by .!*8. 



HABITS. 

 Most unquestionabl}', as a rule, the Lapland Longspur is a late autumnal migrant 

 in New England. They make tlieir appearance about the first of November, 

 generally with the Shore Larks, and they accompany 

 these birds, tliere usually being a dozen or so Longspurs 

 in every tiock of iifty or more Shore Larks. But 

 unlike the latter-named species the Longspurs do not 

 remain much later than the first of December. The 

 explanation of this movement would appear to be that 

 northern birds from Greenland and other adjacent 

 shores of the continent, in migrating southward, keep 

 along the coast until they reach the New England 

 States, when they push across to the interior where they 

 remain all Avinter. A straggler occasionally finds its 

 way to the coast in spring, and I once shot a male tliiit 

 had nearly acquired the summer dress at I}>swicli, Mass., 

 in April. Even then it was in company with the Shore 



Larks, in f\xct, I have never been able to see the Longspurs separated from these birds, 

 so that I could note any individual habits. They appear to run rapidly alon«- the 

 ground and when alarmed will squat and hide, mucli as do the Shore Larks, and will rise 

 Avhen the fiock rises flying swiftly away with a long, undulating movement. 



Fic 54. Head and foot of Adult 

 Male Lapland Longspur in winter. 



