FEINGILLIB^: FINCHES, BUNTINGS, SPABB0W8, ETC 



357 



yellowish, usually black-tipped, but drying reddish-brown. Fledglings : Dark ashy-gray 

 above, and on the fore parts below this color overlaid with brown, and streaked on the 

 ba^ik with dusky ; below, from the breast, white ; lateral tail-feathers mostly white ; inner 

 secondaries black with brown edging. A very notable bird, inhabiting the northern hemi- 

 sphere, breeding in arctic regions, whence migrating south in vast flocks with the snow, as if 

 one with these pure crystallizations. Thousands whirl into the U. S. in the fall on the wings 

 of the storm, relieving by their animated presence the desolation of places exposed to the 

 ''-fury of the blast. South regularly only to the Northern States, but often the roving flocks 

 reach 35°. Nest on the ground in the sphagnum and tussocks of arctic regions, of a great 

 quantity of grass and moss, lined profusely with feathers : eggs 4-6, very variable in size and 

 color, about 0.90 X 0.65, white or whitish, speckled, veined, blotched, and marbled with deep 

 browns and neutral tints. * 



73. CENTRO'PHANES. (Gr. Kevrpov, kentron, nail, claw; cjiaivo, phaino, I appear; the hind 

 claw lengthened and straightened.) Longspurs. Characters of PUctrophanes; hind claw and 

 its digit more developed ; longer than the middle ; bill relatively and absolutely larger, rather 

 " fringUline " than thoroughly " emberizine," but still with a palatal knob; no decided nasal 

 ruff, but antrorse plumules in nasal fossse ; a little tuft at base of rictus. Wings less acute, 

 the point formed by IslnSd primaries, 4th abruptly shorter; tail emarginate. Sexes very 

 unlike : ^ with a black hood and chestnut cervical collar. Gregarious, terrestrial. 



Analysis of Adult Males. 



Whole head and throat black ; belly white ; bill yellow ; feet black lappcmicus 220 



Crown black; whole under parts fawn-colored ; feet flesh-colored pictus 221 



Crown black ; throat white ; belly black or mahogany ; feet dark . . omatus 222 



320. C. lappon'icus. (Lat. tepjiowiCMS, of Lapponia, Lapp-land. Figs. 43, 224.) Lapland LoNG- 

 SPUR. ^, in full dress (seldom seen in U. S.) : 

 Whole head, throat and breast jet-black, bor- 

 dered with buffy or whitish, which forrns a ,-^MS^ ii'^-^J.^-' 'T- 

 post-ocular stripe separating black of crown iA^fflb''"^B»t'ii\jJ^(^l 1^^'^^ 

 from that of sides of head, sometimes contin- ^^^^^Sn laS^^fe^JsJ; clf^' .* 

 ued to the bill. A broad cervical chestnut col- •^^^^^^IMSsS^M^wvBw'wf 

 lar, separated from the black cap by whitish "^ 

 or buffy line and nuchal spot. Upper parts 

 brownish-black completely streaked with buff 



or whitish edges of the feathers ; imder parts -3^^-<^ _. 



white, the sides streaked with black. Wings ^ jZra ^ i^ss^^^^^B'^f « 



dusky, with pale or brownish edgings of the 

 feathers, but no strong markings. Tail like f 



wings, with large oblique white spaces on >^ 



outer 3 feathers. Bill yellow, black -tipped, -y^ '' SlfciP J_.'"'k \k,w.w->*- 



Legs and feet black. Length about 6.50 ; 



extent 11.25 ; wing 3.50-3.75 ; tail 2.50-2.75 ; fhj. 224. - Lapland Lougspur, in summer, reduced, 

 tarsus 0.75 ; middle toe and claw rather more; (Sheppard del. Nichols sc.) 



hind claw about 0.50, slender, shai-p, and little curved. $ , adult, in winter : The black hood 

 overcast with brown or gray tips of the feathers, or otherwise imperfect. Chestnut collar also 

 overlaid with gray. Edges of secondaries and wing-coverts ruddy-brown ; sides of flanks 

 washed with brown. White tail-spots less extensive. Yellow of bill obscured. 9 , in breed- 

 ing plumage : Upper parts of body, wings and tail, as in ^ . No continuous pure black on 

 sides of head, chin, or throat. Cervical collar indicated, but dull and obscured. Black of 

 crown overlaid with gray ; superciliary and postocular stripe buffy ; sides of head blackish, 

 overlaid with gray; throat similarly varied, but chin nearly white ; on the whole, the pattern 



