JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



11 



mens should be preserved and record- 

 ed. 



The Horned Larks present a case of 

 interest even though so common. 

 Records of the larger, brightly color- 

 ed bird, from the interior of the State 

 are still to be sought. While for the 

 smaller, grayer form, all notes, and 

 those from the coast, in particular, 

 are much to be desired. As well as 

 its breeding season in any unreported 

 section. Data showing the breeding 

 distribution of the Canada Jay, its 

 winter distribution and time of migra- 

 tion are much to be hoped for, al- 

 though, even now, in part, believed 

 to be a permanent resident, wherever 

 found. It is a species, which winters 

 considerably further South than its 

 summer home extends. When observ- 

 ing or collecting the winter finches, 

 thought might profitably be directed 

 to the possible recurrence of the Even- 

 ing Grosbeak. The Red pollsafford a 

 promising group for the collector, and 

 among the flocks of these busy little 

 birds, are likely to be found stray 

 specimens of the Hoary and Holboells 

 Redpolls, with frequent specimens of 

 the Greater or in some seasons the 

 latter may equal the common species 

 in numbers. They are active little 

 creatures and will require the closest 

 attention. Indeed the specimen in 

 hand, is the only positively satisfact- 

 ory identification. Another of the 

 boreal finches, promising a worthy re- 

 ward, to the careful student, is the 

 Lapland Longspur. By the records 

 collected by Mr. Knight, we learn of 

 its occurrence in the interior of the 

 State. I believe that it will be found a 

 not uncommon migrant along our coast 

 or perhaps, an occasional winter resi- 

 dent. It has been said to have habits 

 similar to those of the Snowflake. and 

 to move with that species. With my 

 own experience, I must take exception 

 to the first of these statements. The 

 Snowflake is a more vigorous species, 



in its actions, feeding in a body, mov- 

 ing in the same direction. Those in 

 the rear are constantly leaping into 

 the air, and passing over those in ad- 

 vance, and thus are flashing into view 

 and out in a comparatively animated 

 way. The Longspurs seem to strike 

 the ground and disappear like the 

 Horned Larks. If an observer is near 

 they seem to be crouching low by 

 some clod or other object, evidently 

 for concealment, as they scan the 

 premises. This seems to be a charact- 

 eristic habit as it was noticed also by 

 Ernest Seton Thompson (Birds of 

 Manitoba, Proc, U. S. N. M. Vol. 

 XIII, P. 5, 90.) 



They feed, running about (not hop- 

 ping) hither and thither, inspecting 

 each tuft of vegitation, mass of sea- 

 weed or drifted matter, and are seen 

 scattered over a small area. Their 

 uniformly dark upper parts and 

 wings, gives them quite a resemblance 

 to the larks (with which they sometimes, 

 at least, associate.) This, no doubt, 

 has caused them to escape detection, 

 with us. Compared with the larks, 

 they are slightly smaller than Al- 

 pestris. Perhaps one may detect a 

 browner shade as they fly. In flight 

 they seem more sprightly. The crouch- 

 ing bird will be found in favorable 

 light to lack the black bars on the 

 sides of the throat, which under the 

 same conditions will be found con- 

 spicuous in the larks. Watch then, the 

 larks with the utmost care. Another 

 of the interesting group of sparrows, 

 occasionally to be found within our 

 borders, is the little Yellow-winged 

 or Grasshopper Sparrow. It is a bird 

 of the grass fields, inhabiting places 

 where the Savanna Sparrows abound 

 and breed. It is probably easiest of all 

 our eastern Sparrows to be overlooked. 

 Its weak song has been mistaken for 

 the stridulating of some strange grass- 

 hopper, nor is it to be wondered at. 

 It is very inconspicuous and in habits 



