OF NEW ENGLAND. 185 
former bird, or even those of the latter. Their song is quite 
like the Yellow Bird’s (C. tristis), but is distinct, since all 
their ordinary notes are introduced. 
The winters when these happy, pretty little birds are com- 
mon are always much enlivened by their presence, and those 
years are richer for the naturalist, which bring us visits from 
the Arctic birds. ° 
VI. LINOTA 
(A) BREwstERI? Brewster's Linnet. 
(One specimen, not clearly referable to any known species 
or variety, was obtained by Mr. William Brewster, at Waltham, 
Mass., from a flock of common ‘ red-polls.”’) 
(a). It is described as follows in Messrs. Baird, Brewer, & 
Ridgway’s ** North American Birds.” 
*¢ General appearance somewhat that of Z. linarius, but no 
red on the crown, and the sides and rump tinged with sulphur- 
yellow; no black gular spot. @ ad. Ground-color above 
light umber, becoming sulphur yellow on the rump, each feather, 
even on the crown, with a distinct medial stripe of dusky. 
Beneath white, tinged with fulvous yellow anteriorly and along 
the sides; sides and crissum streaked with dusky. Wings 
and tail dusky; the former with two pale fulvous bands; the 
secondaries, primaries, and tail-feathers narrowly skirted with 
whitish sulphur-yellow. A dusky loral spot, and a rather dis- 
tinct lighter superciliary stripe. Wing 3:00; tail 2:50; tarsus 
°00; middle toe, 380. Wing formula, 1, 2, 3, etc.” 
VII., PLECTROPHANES 
(A) nivaris. Snow Bunting.® % Snow-flake.” 
(An inhabitant of the ‘‘ far North,” visiting New England 
in winter, in large assemblies.) 
_ (a). 63-7 inches long. Jn the breeding-season, pure white 
55 Since named Zgiothus flavirostris var. Brewsteri. 
56 Sometimes called ‘* White Snow-bird,” in distinction to the so-called Black or 
Blue Snow-bird. 
