50 THE SNOWFLAKE. 



In many respects the Siskins resemble their more familiar cousins, the 

 Goldfinches ; they cultivate a graceful, undulatory, or looping flight, chirrup- 

 ing as they go; and like them they have "a habit of singing in a lively, 

 rambling sort of way for an hour or more at a time." On the other hand their 

 love of pine trees and the seeds of pine cones links them closely to the Cross- 

 bills and their rattling cry is quite suggestive of the common notes of these 

 birds. They have one note, however, which is entirely distinctive. It is a 

 labored but singularly penetrating production with a peculiar vowel quality 

 (like a German umlauted u), zuem or seem. At the same time the bird often 

 displays his wing with its sulphur-colored watermark, and speedy recognition 

 follows. 



No. 23. 



SNOWFLAKE. 



A. O. U. No. 534. Passerina nivalis (Linn.). 



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 

 upper parts streaked all over with black, and the black of wings largely replaced 

 by fuscous. Adults in tinnier: Entire upper parts 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 uniquely white, with 

 blacks and browns above. 



Nesting. Does not breed in Ohio. "Nest, on the ground in the sphagnum 

 and tussocks of Arctic regions, of a great quantity of grass and moss, lined pro- 

 fusely with feathers. Eggs, 4-6, very variable in size and color, about .90 x .65 

 (22.9 x 16.5), white or whitish, speckled, veined, blotched, and marbled with 

 deep browns and neutral tints" (Coues.). 



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

 the Arctic regions; in North America south in winter into the northern United 

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



Range in Ohio. Occurs irregularly in winter, more commonly northerly. 



THE guests of winter form a distinct category in the bird-man's reckon- 

 ing. There are loyal hearts which no adversity of winter elements (short of 

 sheer freezing, which is brutal) can drive from our midst Song Sparrows, 

 Titmice, Nuthatches and to these we pay appropriate honors. But, after all, 



