The Birds of El Paso County^ Colorado 561 



In spring, before they begin to breed, on a bright da}', 

 especially after a storm, a flock will often gather on a bush 

 or the roof of a building, and sing and twitter together, having 

 as much of a song as some of our other sparrows. 



Aiken has traced the progress across the plains of this 

 undesirable alien by ascertaining from residents through west- 

 ern Kansas dates of its appearance at different points along 

 the line of the Rock Island Railroad. He estimated that the 

 westward advance of the invading army of sparrows was at 

 the rate of about 50 miles a year. 



Plectrophenax nivalis. Snow Bunting. 



Winter visitor; rare, but one record of its occurrente 

 in El Paso County, a pair taken by Aiken at Colorado Springs, 

 in 1874. These are mounted and in the Colorado College 

 Museum. 



Calcarius lapponicus alascensis. Alaska Longspur. 



Winter visitor; very irregular. 



In the Aiken Collection are specimens taken near Colo- 

 rado Springs, January 5, 1874, at which date a large flock 

 was reported to be near town, and 20 specimens were brought 

 in ; specimens were also taken December 28 and 29, 1876 ; 

 January 12, 1877. In January, 1884, Warren took one on 

 each of three different days, always with a large flock of 

 Horned Larks. 



Calcarius omatus. Chestnut-collared Longspur. 



Winter visitor; common in certain localities. Arrives in 

 September, Aiken having seen it September 12, 1897, on the 

 plains east of Colorado Springs ; later in the same year, October 

 3 and 13, he found it at Broadmoor Ranch, his notes men- 

 tioning the Longspurs being in alfalfa fields which had been 

 mowed close. The species was near Colorado Springs in 

 February, 1899. In the seventies, when living on a ranch 



