232 FRINGILLID^ I FINCHES. 



summer. It was long since noted by Audubon, that a 

 Snow-bird's nest was found in the White Mountains 

 in July, 1831. Another case, equally rare and even 

 more exceptional, considering the locality, is recorded 

 by Allen — that of a pair which bred in Springfield, 

 Mass., in the summer of 1862 (Pr. Essex Inst., iv, 

 1864, p. 70). According to Mr. Maynard, there is 

 an authentic instance of the presence of a flock, on 

 Mt. Katahdin, in Maine, early in August, 1869. The 

 following description of the nest and eggs is given by 

 Coues (Birds Northwest, 1874, P- ^^9)'- "The few 

 nests of the Snow-flake I have seen were built with a 

 great quantity of a kind of short curly grass which 

 grows in the Arctic regions, mixed with moss, the 

 whole forming a very substantial structure, with walls 

 an inch or more thick, and a small, deep cavity. This 

 is warmly lined with a quantity of large feathers, from 

 some water-fowl. They are built on the ground, often 

 covered and hidden by tussocks of grass or even slabs 

 of rock. The eggs are exceedingly variable in col- 

 oration as well as size. Thus, one measures 0.95 by 

 0.70, and another 0.97 by 0.62 ; an average is about 

 0.90 by 0.65. The ground is white or whitish, in 

 some instances flecked all over with neutral tint shell- 

 markings, overlaid by deep brown spots and scratches, 

 especially at the butt. In other cases the former are 

 wanting and we have a heavy wreath of confluent 

 blotches of dull brown around the larger end ; and 

 again the whole surface may be obscurely mottled with 

 pale chocolate." Those who have seen the Snow-flake 

 at home in summer speak highly of its vocal ability, 

 and have also a good word for the fidelity of the bright 

 bird to its mate and its young. / 



