326 FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



KEY TO SPECIES OF CALCARIDS. 



1. Tail feathers chiefly white at base ornatus, p. 328. 



1'. Tail feathers chiefly dusky at base. 



2. Inner web of outer tail feather chiefly white . . . pictus, p. 327. 

 2'. Inner web of outer tail feather chiefly dusky. 



3. Darker lapponicus, p'. 326. 



3'. Paler alascensis, p. 327. 



536. Calcarius lapponicus (Linn.). LAPLAND LONGSPUR. 



Inner web of outer tail feather chiefly dusky. Adult male in summer : 

 fore parts black, contrasting strikingly with 

 white of belly, and white or buffy line from 

 eye to hind neck ; hind neck deep rufous ; back 

 streaked black, brown, buffy, and whitish; 

 wings dusky, with brown and whitish edg- 

 ings ; tail chiefly blackish brown. Adult male in winter : black area and 

 rufous nape patch greatly restricted, and more or less obscured by white 

 or brownish tips to feathers ; sides of head 

 mainly light brownish. Adult female in sum- 

 mer : like winter male but smaller, markings 

 sharper, black of chest more restricted, and 

 Fig. 414. Winter male. hind neck streaked with blackish. Adult female 



in winter : similar to summer female, but browner and less sharply streaked 

 above ; hind neck often without trace of rufous ; under parts dingy white, 

 chest markings only suggested. Young : upper parts tawny buff, broadly 

 streaked with black except for wings and tail ; under parts pale buffy, 

 throat, chest, and sides broadly streaked with black. Male : length (skins) 

 5.68-6.80, wing 3.55-3.96, tail 2.35-2.62, bill .41-.48. Female: length 

 (skins) 5.34-6.20, wing 3.45-3.63, tail 2.30-2.55, bill .41-.45. 



Remarks. The long, nearly straight hind claw distinguishes this genus 

 and Rhynchophanes from the other Fringillidce, and the black-tipped tail 

 marks off Rhynchophanes. In Calcarius the white breast and belly distin- 

 guish the Lapland from the buff -breasted Smith longspur. 



Distribution. Breeds far north in the northern hemisphere ; migrates 

 in North America south to Texas, but most abundantly to Kansas and 

 Colorado. 



Nest. On ground, composed mainly of dried grasses, lined largely with 

 feathers. Eggs : 3 to 6, dull whitish, spotted or speckled with brown. 



Food. Insects such as weevils, grasshoppers, and beetles ; locust eggs, 

 weed seed, and grain. 



The Lapland longspurs reach Colorado in October, Prof. Cooke 

 states, going up into 'the lower mountain parks at first but descend- 

 ing to the plains when severe weather comes. 



Colonel Goss says that they wander over the prairies and treeless 

 plains of Kansas in enormous flocks, subsisting on seeds of weeds 

 and grasses. In looking for food, he says, ' ' they skim over the 

 ground in a wavy, zigzag form, and on alighting run swiftly and 

 heedlessly about, squatting close to the ground at the near approach 

 of an intruder and remaining motionless, hoping to be passed un- 

 observed. When started they rise in a quick, uncertain manner,'' 

 which prairie falcons and other enemies often take advantage of, 



