288 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



Range. — " Europe generally, except extreme northern part" (Sharpe). In- 

 troduced near New York city and Boston. 



Nest.^ externally, of grasses and plant down, lined with plant down, in 

 coniferous trees. Eggs., four to five, white, with purplish spots, "72 x -50. 



This European species was introduced into this country at Ho- 

 boken, N. J., in 1878. The following year it appeared in Central 

 Park, New York city. It has since spread over the northern parts 

 of the city, and in favorable places is a not uncommon permanent 

 resident. It has also been introduced in the vicinity of Boston, Mass., 

 where it is to be found in small numbers. In general habits it resem- 

 bles its American cousin, with which it sometimes associates. 



534* Plectrophenax nivalis {Lhm.). Snowflake; Snow Bunt- 

 ing. Ad. 6 in summer. — Whole head and neck, rump, and under parts white ; 

 back and scapulars black ; wings white, the end half of the primaries and 

 inner secondaries black ; outer tail-feathers white, inner ones black. Ad. 9 

 in summer. — Similar, but entire upper parts streaked with black ; primaries 

 all fuscous; secondaries more or less tipped with fuscous. 3 in winter. — 

 tipper parts a kind of rusty brown, almost umber on the center of the crown ; 

 back streaked with black, caused by the black bases of the feathers showing 

 through their rusty tips ; wings and tail much as in summer, but more or less 

 edged with rusty ; under parts white, the breast and sides washed with rusty. 

 ? in winter. — Similar to 3 , but the primaries all fuscous. L., 6-88 ; W., 4-07 ; 

 T., 2-70 ; B., -42. 



Range. — " Northern parts of the northern hemisphere, breeding in the 

 arctic rejrions; in North America, south in winter into the northern United 

 States, irregularly to Georgia, southern Illinois, and Kansas." 



Washington, W. V., casual, one instance. Sing Sing, irregular W. V., Oct. 

 25 to Mch. 22. Cambridge, common W. V., Oct. 25 to Mch. 25 ; abundant in 

 migrations. 



Nest., of grasses, rootlets, and moss, lined with finer grasses and feathers, 

 on the ground. Eggs., four to seven, pale bluish white, thinly marked with 

 umber or heavily spotted or washed with rufous-brown, •85 x "64. 



The Snowflake may readily be known by the fact that it is the only 

 one of our sparrowlike birds that has ichite predominating on its 

 wings and tail, as well as on its body. It feeds exclusively on seeds, 

 and is so much like the Shorelark in habits that the two species occa- 

 sionally associate. The Snowflake is also strictly a ground bird, never 

 perching on a tree, though it often does so on a house or fence. It 

 always progresses by walking, not by hopping. 



Throughout Canada and the northern tier of States this is the 

 familiar little white bird of winter. As soon as the chill season comes 

 on in icy rigors, the merry Snowflakes appear in great flocks, and come 

 foraging about the barnyards when there is no bare ground left in the 

 adjacent fields. Apparently they get but little to eat, but in reality 

 they always find enough to keep them in health and spirits, and are as 



