94 THE Brrps Axsout Us. 
it is sometimes called, we have one of our handsomest 
sparrows. It isa northern bird, and not at all dis- 
posed to wander out of New England if it can help 
it. Its summer home is “the circumpolar region,” 
and yet it may be an occasional pair nest out of 
bounds. I well remember a superbly snowy winter 
day some thirty years ago, not too cold, but every 
object hidden by a dense mantle of feathery, clinging 
snow. About noon the sun shone out brightly and 
the landscape was too dazzling for the unprotected 
eye. I set forth, peering painfully under the rim of 
my hat, but ready to take note of any bird that came 
by. Before I had gone twenty paces there were 
birds on the stilts of the wheelbarrow, they were 
scattered over the few projecting stakes in the wood- 
pile, and a host of them had gathered in the open 
wagon-shed. These were particularly happy, for they 
were eagerly picking at the bits that lay about where 
the carcasses of pigs had been cut up a few days be- 
fore. My near presence seemed to worry them, and 
they gathered into a loose flock and hurried to the 
fields. I followed, and still recall their head-over- 
heels flight, and remember their cheery whistling 
chirp. Since then I have seen but few of these 
birds. The winter of 1892-93 was a “ circumpolar” 
one in the valley of the Delaware, and I am told 
brought a considerable number of these birds; so 
many, indeed, that under the name of “ winter reed- 
birds” they were sold in the markets. 
The Lapland Long-spur comes to Pennsylvania 
every winter where that State touches upon Lake 
Erie, but it does not wander beyond unless moved 
