The Alaska Longspur 267 



more pronounced. In one instance, the female was frightened from her 

 eggs just as they were about to hatch, and ran along the ground a few 

 yards, uttering a plaintive chee-chee-chee in a fine, vibrating, metallic tone, 

 dragging her outspread wings and tail on the ground, and fluttering as 

 if in mortal agony. 



The nests vary in size, but average about two and three-fourths inches 

 in depth by five inches across the top on the outside, and the central 

 cavity is about two inches deep and three inches across the top. The walls 

 are sometimes thick and strong, composed of an abundance of material, 

 but may be a mere cup-shaped shell, barely sufficient to hold the eggs. 

 In most cases they are composed of rather coarse grass, sometimes with 

 moss interwoven, forming a thick layer that frequently is as thoroughly 

 water-soaked as a wet sponge. In a damp situation much more material 

 is used than on a dryer spot ; but the interior in- 

 variably contains fine, soft, yellow blades of last year's Situation 

 grasses, sometimes mixed with feathers of ptarmigans 

 and other wild birds. One that I examined had a thick lining of 

 'feathers and dogs' hair. 



The eggs number from four to seven, and are heavily covered with 

 blotches and zigzag lines of various shades of brown, and the ground- 

 color, when visible, is greenish clay-color. 



The young are out on the wing sometimes as early as the first of July. 

 but more usually about the tenth of this month, after which they unite 

 in small bands, and are seen about the trading-posts and native villages, 

 where they are heedless of the presence of people, and are nearly as 

 familiar as the English Sparrows in our cities. They remain in great 

 abundance until the last of August or first of September, when they 

 begin their straggling departure. By the first of October, the last one 

 has passed away toward the south, and none are seen until returning 

 spring brings them north again. 



They usually begin to move southward before they have fully molted, 

 so that only the comparatively few individuals that have completed the 

 molt in September are found in perfect winter dress on their northern 

 breeding-grounds. The serial changes of plumage as summer advances 

 are worthy of note. 



By the first of July, as a rule, the partly fledged birds have the feathers 

 of the crown, back, rump, breast, and throat marked with black or very 

 dark-brown shaft-lines, which vary from one-third to one-half the width 

 of the feather. The feathers of the crown and back are edged with a 

 dingy, yellowish buff ; those on the nape, with grayish 

 or dull ashy. The edges of the breast-feathers are Autumn 



soiled yellowish, with a wash of the same on the 

 feathers of the entire undersurface. There are two indistinct white 

 wing-bars. This state of plumage is hardly attained before it begins 

 to give place to the fall-and-winter dress with which we are familiar, 

 when the birds come trooping down to the United States from the North 

 at the beginning of winter. Beginning- on the lower and caudal parts, 



