64 Oneida Historical Society. 



167. Plectrophenax nivalis nivalis. 

 SNOW BUNTING. 

 A common winter visitor. 



168. Calcarius lapponicus lapponicus. 



LAPLAND LONGSPUR. 



Mr. George Roth, taxidermist, of Utica, reports that- he 

 mounted one which was killed in Deerfield several years ago. 

 Dr. C. H. Merriam says they occur with the Snowflakes, 

 though not so common. Mr. F. J. Davis has a specimen of 

 this bird which was killed at Mexico, Oswego County, by 

 George A. Davis in the winter of 1884. 



169. Pyrgita domestica. 



HOUSE SPARROW. 



A common resident. Breeds. Though not a native species, 

 they have become so thoroughly naturalized that they are 

 entitled to a place in any list of our birds. Originally intro- 

 duced into New York to destroy the insects in the parks, they 

 soon appeared here and made themselves entirely at home. 

 They have undoubtedly made it difficult for some of our 

 smaller birds to maintain themselves in the more thickly 

 settled portions of the county, but since the public ceased to 

 protect and feed them their number has fallen off and they are 

 much less objectionable than they were twenty-five years ago. 

 Personally I do not believe that they are responsible for the 

 disappearance of our Wrens and Purple Martins, for the simple 

 reason that these birds did not disappear in other parts of the 

 State where the sparrows were equally numerous. In the 

 country the native birds seem to have held their own, though 

 m the closely built part of the city the sparrows have pretty 

 full possession. 



