200 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY 



SNOWFLAKE. 



A. O. U. NO. 534. (Passerina nivalis). 



RANGE. 



Whole of northern hemisphere, breeding within the Arctic Circle and 

 wintering irregularly south to northern United States and casually to 

 the central portions. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Summer. — Entire head, neck, rump, underparts, secondaries and 

 outer tail feathers white, the remainder of the plumage being black. 

 The female differs but little from the male being slightly duller and 

 with the head generally somewhat rusty. Winter. — All the black 

 feathers, especially on the back, edged with rusty brown so as to nearly 

 obscure the black; the top of head, neck and breast are also more or less 

 strongly tinged with brownish. 



PRIBILOF SNOWFLAKE. 



A. O. U. No. 534a- (Passerina nivalis townsendi.) 



RANGE. 



Birds of the preceding species which are found on the Aleutians and 

 Pribilof Islands have been found to average slightly larger and to have 

 a slightly longer bill and consequently have been made into the present 

 subspecies. None of their habits differ from those of the better known 

 variety. 



NEST AND EGGS. 



Snowflakes nest on the ground near the sea coast or tributaries there- 

 of. They are found breeding abundantly on some of the islands in the 

 Arctic Ocean and in Behring Sea. The nests are sunken in hollows in 

 the moss which covers the ground in the localities where they are 

 found in summer; it is made of dried grasses and fine fibres and is 

 usually warmly lined with feathers. The nesting season is during June 

 and July, and during this period they lay from three to five pale bluish 

 white eggs which are blotched and specked with brown and lilac. 



HABITS. 

 These Finches seem to be very aptly named for they are as restless 

 and uncertain of appearance as the snowflakes that drift in with the cold 



