THE SNOWFLAKE. 99 



but a bulxmic plague scare operates \ery effectually U) reduce their uuuihers. 

 No doubt there will be English Sparrows in cities as long as there are brick- 

 bats, but a clear recognition of their detestable qualities should lead every 

 sensible person to deny them victuals and shelter. The House Sparrow is no 

 longer exterminable, but he may be, must be kept within Ixjunds. 



No. 36. 



SNOWFLAKE. 



-A. O. U. No. 534. Plectrophenax nivalis (l.inii.) 



Synonym. — Snow Bunting. 



Description. — Adult male in summer: Pure white save for bill, feet, middle 

 of back, scapulars, bastard wing, the end half of primaries and inner secondaries, 

 and the middle tail-feathers, which are black. Female in summer: Similar, but 

 uppeqjarts streaked all over with black, and the black wings largely replaced 

 by fuscous. Adults in zcinter: Entire upperparts overcast with browns — rusty 

 or seal brown — clear on crown, grayish and mottled with dusky centers of 

 feathers on back, scapulars, etc. ; also rusty ear-patches, and a rusty collar, with 

 faint rusty wash on sides. The black of wing and tail-feathers is less pure 

 ( fuscous in the female) and edged with white or tawny. Length 6.50-7.00 

 (165.1-177.8) : wing 4.12 (104.6) ; tail 2.54 (64.5) ; bill .40 (10.2). 



Recognition Marks. — Sparrow size; conspicuously and unicpiely white, with 

 blacks and browns above. 



Nesting. — Does not breed in Washington. "Xest: on the ground in the 

 sphagnum and tussocks of Arctic regions, of a great c|uantit} of grass and moss, 

 lined profusely with feathers. Eggs: 4-6, very variable in size and color, about 

 .go .X .65 (22.() X 16.5), white or whitish, speckled, veined, l)lolched, and marbled 

 with dcej) browns and neutral tints" (Cones. ). 



General Range. — "Northern parts of the northern liemisphere. brcedini:; in 

 the .-\rctic regions ; in North America south in winter into the northern United 

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



Range in Washington. — East-side, of regular occurrence in open country; 

 casual w'cst of the Cascades. 



Migrations. — Nov. 4, 1899 (Yakima Cnuntyi. March 17. 1896 (Dkanogan 

 County). 



Authorities. — ["Snow Bunting," bihnson. Rep. Cov. W, T. 1884 (1885), 

 22. 1 Dawson, Auk. XIV. 1897, 178. "T. D'. D-\ B. E. 



Specimens.— a', of W.) Prov. B. E. P. 



I W'Fvi,!, remeiul)er my first meeting with this jirince of storm waifs. 

 the Snowflake. It was in Chelan County on a chilly day in December. .\ 

 distant-faring, feathered stranger had tempted me across a bleak ])asture, 

 when ;ill at i:nce ;i fluttering snowdrift, contrary to N^atiu^e's wont, rose fmrn 



