282 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



northern Alaska and Ungava; winters from Alaska, southern Alberta and 

 southern Ungava as far south as northern California, Kansas, Ohio and some- 

 times Florida. In New York State it is a common winter visitant in nearly- 

 all localities, but is rather irregular in occurrence, sometimes appearing in 

 great numbers for several weeks in winter, at other times seeming to be 

 absent except for passing flocks which will be noted at intervals throughout 

 the colder weather. They arrive from the north sometimes as early as 

 the 28th of Septerriber on the Monteziima marshes and about the central 

 lakes and the shores of Lake Ontario, but on Long Island and other parts 

 of the State are rarely noticed before the 22d to the 30th of October, some- 

 times not before the 26th of November, and remain until the last of Feb- 

 ruary or the loth of March, sometimes being noticed as late as the 22d 

 to 26th of the month. 



Haunts and habits. This species is fully as gregarious as the cross- 

 bills and redpolls. Although I have frequently seen single individuals 

 appear on the Montezuma marshes and on the lake shore, almost 

 without exception they are noticed in companies of from 25 to 50, 

 and sometimes several hundreds, and on a few occasions I have noticed 

 flocks of thousands sweeping over the fields like clouds of drifting snow. 

 Flocks of snowfiakes perform various evolutions while on the wing, 

 careening backward and forward and wheeling about, and again seeming 

 to blow over the fields like dried leaves driven by the wind. While' flying, 

 the members of the flock keep up a tinkling whistle, a note resembling 

 somewhat the syllable "tee" repeated at intervals by the various members 

 of the flock; also, when disturbed, they utter a harsh " beez-beez." 



Their ordinary fare consists of seeds of the pigweeds (goosefoot and 

 amaranth) and ragweed (ambrosia), and all species of grass. They feed 

 entirely on the ground and are almost never observed to alight in trees, 

 although such instances have been recorded. They walk and run while 

 on the ground, never hopping as is the custom with the Song sparrow and 

 other birds of the family. Consequently their tracks in the snow are 

 often mistaken for those of the Horned lark. Snowfiakes are wholly 



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