BIRDS OF MAINE. 95 



(Homer) ; Somerset, "very irref^nlar, sometimes summer resident"' 

 (Morrell) ; Waldo, "rare" (Spratt) ; Washington, "winter visitant, 

 sometimes summer resident" (Boardmau). 



Genus PLECTROPHENAX Stejneger. 



225. (534). Plectrophenax nivalis (Xtn;?.). Snowflake. 



Winter resident, everywhere abundant. Tbese birds may be 

 found in flocks running along the country roads, seeking for the 

 undigested seeds in horse droppings. They also feed on various 

 seeds in the fields and meadows, and are especially likely to be 

 found about manure heaps in the rear of barns, when the snow has 

 covered all other sources of food. 



County Eeeords. — Androscoggin, "common winter visitor" (Johnson) ; 

 Cumberland, "common winter visitor" (Mead) ; Franklin, "winter vis- 

 itor" (Swain) ; Hancock, "winter resident" (Dorr) ; Kennebec, "common 

 winter resident" (Gardiner Branch) ; Knox, "winter" tRackliff); Oxford, 

 "visitant" (Nash) ; Penobscot, "common November to April and often 

 very abundant" (Knight) ; Piscataquis, "common winter visitor" 

 (Homer) ; Sagadahoc, "common fall, spring and winter" (Spinney) ; 

 Somerset, "common winter resident" (Morrell) ; Waldo, (Spratt) ; Wash- 

 ington, "winter visitant" (Boardman) ; York, "common" (Adams). 



Genus CALCARIUS Bechstein. 



226. (536). Calcarius lapponicus (LiHii.). Lapland Long- 

 spur. 



An irregular and rare winter visitor from the north. 



County Eeeords. — Cumberland, "very rare winter resident" (Brown's 

 Cat. Birds of Portland, p. 13) ; Knox, "I have a specimen taken at St. 

 George" (Norton) ; Oxford, "visitant" (Nash) ; Piscataquis, "rare" 

 (Homer); Washington, "very rare" (Boardman). 



227. (538). Calearius ornatus (Towns.). Chestnut-collared 

 Longspur. 



A straggler from the west and of purely accidental occurrence. 

 A specimen was taken at Scarborough. Cumberland County., 

 Augitst 13, 1886. (Cf. Goodale, The Auk, Vol. 4, p. 77). 



Genus POOC^TES Baird. 



228. (540). Pooc?etes graniineus {Gmel.). Vesper Sparrow. 

 This bird is commonly known to rural observers as Grass Finch. 



It is common as a summer resident of fields and grassy meadows 

 throughout the state. 



