224: SPARKOWS AND FINCHES. 



Breeds in Arctic and sub- Arctic districts of Europe, Green- 

 land and north-eastern N. A. ; winters from N. E. Bouth, 

 somewhat irregularly to S. C. ; common in N. E. from middle 

 Oct. to Dec. ; less common in winter ; rare in spring. Song on 

 Fig. 296. breeding ground, a rollicking, joy- 



ous melody, given when hovering ; 

 in autumn and winter, a call like 

 O, 1, but rather more liquid-, a 

 harsh chirr given when starting to 

 fly ; flight, rather more steady than 

 O, 1. Ass oci ate with Horned 

 Larks and Snow Buntings, or gath- 

 er in small flocks by themselves; 

 CC, F, p, 1. 1-4. occur in similar places. 



2. PAINTED LONGSPUR, C. riCTUS. Differs from 1 

 in having the outer tail feathers white; entire lower parts 

 deep, yellowish-buff; crown and sides of head, black ; stripe 

 behind eye, on middle ear coverts, and on lower jaw, white; 

 white wing bar. Breeds on interior plains of N. A. from 

 Great Slave Lake north to the Arctic coast; south in winter 

 to Texas ; east regularly to 111. and northwestern Ind. ; cas- 

 ually to S. C, 



3. CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR, C. ornatus. 

 Differs from 1 in having top of head, spot on ear coverts, and 

 beneath, black ; throat, broad stripe over eye, and wing band, 

 white. Breeds on the Great Plains of N. A. from Kansas 

 north to the Saskatchewan ; migrates south to Mexico and 

 casually east to the coast of N. E. and Long Island. Song, 

 short, shrill and sweet, given usually in flight. 



q. Short-tailed Long^spurs. Rynchophanes. 



Differ from p in having a decidedly thicker bill and 

 shorter tail ; flight, undulating. 



1. MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR, R. mccownii. 6.00; front 

 of crown, narrow line from bill to eye, and crescent on breast, 

 black; brownish and buffy-gray above broadly streaked with 

 dusky ; outer portion of tail, white broadly tipped with black. 



