FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 327 



"dashing in and striking down many of the birds before the flock is 

 well under headway." 



In their summer home, Mr. Nelson says the longspur is " a widely 

 spread circumpolar bird, whose presence is recorded from nearly 

 every point visited by explorers along the shores of the arctic coast. 

 . . . When they arrive early in May," he adds, " the ground is still 

 largely covered with snow with the exception of grassy spots along 

 southern exposures and the more favorably situated portions of the 

 tundra, and here may be found these birds in all the beauty of their 

 elegant summer dress. The males, as if conscious of their handsome 

 plumage, choose the tops of the only breaks in the monotonous level, 

 which are small rounded knolls and tussocks. The male utters its 

 song as it flies upward from one of these knolls, and when it reaches 

 the height of ten or fifteen yards it extends the points of its wings 

 upwards, forming a large V-shaped figure, and floats gently to the 

 ground, uttering, as it slowly sinks, its liquid tones, which fall in 

 tinkling succession upon the ear, and are perhaps the sweetest 

 notes that one hears during the entire springtime in these regions." 



536a. C. 1. alascensis Eidgw. ALASKAN LONGSPUR. 



Similar to the Lapland longspur, but decidedly paler, especially in 

 winter ; summer adults with ground color of upper parts light buffy gray- 

 ish brown, with little if any rusty tinge, even on wings ; and the black 

 streaks relatively narrower. Male : length (skins) 5.75-6.55, wing 3.59- 

 3.92, tail 2.30-2.68, bill .41-.49. Female: length (skins) 5.34-6.25, wing 

 3.39-3.67, tail 2.19-2.48, bill .40-.47. 



Distribution. Breeds in Alaska, migrating in the United States to 

 Nevada, Colorado, and western Kansas. 



537. Calcarius pictus (Swains.). SMITH LONGSPUR. 



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

 top and sides of head black marked with three 

 white stripes behind eye, across ear coverts, 

 and down sides of neck ; hind neck and entire 



under parts brownish buff, hind neck streaked Fi 415^ Sum m'er' male 

 with black ; rest of upper parts streaked buffy 

 brown and black. Adult male in winter: black of head replaced by 

 streaked brownish, like rest of upper parts ; throat and chest also more or 

 less streaked. Adult female in summer : like winter male, but smaller, 

 paler, and grayer, and without clear black or white on wing coverts ; entire 

 upper parts streaked brown and blackish. In winter, similar, but more 

 buffy. Young : similar to winter adults, but markings wanting or obscure, 

 entire under parts yellowish brown or buffy ; throat obscurely streaked ; 

 tail white only on two or three outer feathers. Male : length (skins) 5.84- 

 6.81, wing 3.40-3.79, tail 2.33-2.71, bill .40-44. Female: length (skins) 

 5.53-5.76, wing 3.41-3.54, tail 2.18-2.32, bill .40-.45. 



Distribution. Interior of North America, breeding north to the arctic 

 coast and migrating in the United States to Texas and southern Arizona. 



Eggs. Like those of the Lapland longspur, but averaging lighter, the 

 whitish distinctly spotted style prevailing. 



Food. In winter largely weed seed. 



