THE LAPLAND .LONG SPUR. 31 



in the dark-leaden clouds so peculiar to that season; and 

 when, perchance, the sun breaks through, they may be 

 fringed with a rich amber, quite uncommon at other seasons 

 of the year. On this morning after the snow-fall, the sun- 

 shine left almost as suddenly as the Snow Buntings, and 

 with the leaden clouds appeared another flock, equally 

 large, and so similar in size, form and movement that one 

 might readily think them the same were it not for the pre- 

 dominance of the dark colors. They are as dark as the 

 sparrows; the black and ocher, so common to the Snow 

 Buntings, making up the entire dress, except the white 

 underneath and on the sides of the neck; while the breast, 

 cheeks and sides under the wings are ornamented with 

 rich, black feathers, delicately tipped with white. Thus the 

 careful observer will readily distinguish them as the Lap- 

 land Longspurs (Plectrophanes lapponicus], and quite different 

 from the Snow Buntings (Plectrophanes nivalis), of the 

 white dress, dark-ocher patch on the head lighter patches 

 of the same on the ears, as also a tendency of the same, in 

 the form of a collar low on the breast, black mixed with 

 the same on the back, black in the center of the tail, upper 

 wing-feathers and wing-tips. 



The Lapland Longspur spends the breeding season in 

 large numbers about Great Slave Lake, McKenzie's River, 

 and in Alaska, arriving in the latter place the second week 

 in May. At this time of year it is said to be an eminent 

 songster. Dr. Coues describes the nidification as follows: 

 "The eggs are rather pointed at the smaller end, and 

 measure about 0.80 x 0.62. They are very dark colored, 

 reminding one of the Titlark's; the color is a heavy cloud- 

 ing or thick mottling of chocolate-brown, through which 

 the greenish-gray ground is little apparent. The nests are 

 built of mosses and fine, soft, dried grasses, and lined with 



