ANDERSON — THE BIRDS OF IOWA. , 313 



Genus Passerina Vieillot. 



234- (534)- Passerina yiivalis (Linn.). Snowflake. 



The Snowflake or Snow Bunting is only found in Iowa &s a 

 winter visitant, in large flocks„ which remain almost exclusively 

 on the fields and prairies. In the northern portions of the state 

 the Snowflake is a tolerably common and regular winter resident, 

 large flocks often appearing in November and are observed at 

 irregular intervals until March. W. W.Cooke notes that "in 

 the spring of 1885 the last were reported from Grinnell, April 25" 

 (Bird Migr. in Miss. Val.. p. 184). In southern Iowa they are 

 rarely seen, appearing only during severe winter. Wm. Savage 

 states that he has seen only two flocks in thirty years in Van 

 Buren count}- (Iowa Orn., i, i, 1S94, p. 3). 



Genus Calcarius Bechstein. 



235- (536). Calcarius lapponicus (Linn.). Lapland Longspur. 

 The Lapland Longspur is a regular and abundant winter vis- 

 itant in all prairie regions of the state. Flocks of thousands are 

 often seen on the fields in early spring, restlesslj- running about, 

 squatting clo.se to the ground when approached, and frequently 

 rising by hundreds as by a common impulse, circling about and 

 alighting in another place. In northern Iowa the greater num- 

 bers are seen in October, November and early December, and 

 again in February and March, often remaining until the middle 

 of April. In southern and central Iowa they are more frequent 

 in midwinter. 



236. (537)- Calcarius pidus (Swains.) Smith Longspur. 



The Smith Longspur is a rather rare migrant or winter visitant 

 in the state, straying from the northwest. 



County records : Blackhawk — (Salisbury). Decatur — "the 

 Plectrophanes pictus visited southern Iowa last fall in great num- 

 bers, appearing toward the close of October. In its habits it does 

 very similar to the Lapland Longspur, but differed in being less 

 gregarious and in showing a partiality for wet meadows and moist 

 low-lying prairie swales, while the Longspur prefers the corn- 

 fields and higher grounds, as a rule, and does not appear until 

 some weeks after /)zV/z^5" (Trippe, Am. Nat., 1873, P- 50o). John- 

 son — one specimen in Bond collection, University museum, from 



