This Longspiir is also an inhabitant of Europe, being common all over the northern 

 part of that continent and especially in Lapland. In northern Asia it is just as 

 abundant as in the Arctic regions of North America. Its food in the breeding range 

 consists mostly of insects and their larvje, while in winter it subsists entirely on the 

 seeds of weeds. Like all these small winter birds it is eminently beneficial to the 

 farmer. Mr. E. W. Nelson, who observed the Lapland Longspur in Alaska, gives the 

 following interesting account: 



"During my residence at Saint Michaels over thirty nests were found, and the 

 number might readily have been doubled. Their nests were so abundant everywhere on 

 the grassy flats that one could scarcely walk over the tundra for half an hour dHiring 

 the proper season without finding irom one to a half a dozen of them. By the middle 

 of May the males are numerous and in full song along the coast of Norton Sound, 

 having arrived about this time or a little earlier in flocks, and spread rapidly over their 

 breeding ground. . . . When they arrive early in May the gi'ound is still largely covered 

 with snow, with the exception of grassy spots along the southern exposures and 

 the more favorably situated portions of the tundra, and here may be found these 

 birds in all the beauty of their elegant summer dress. The males, as if conscious of 

 their handsome plumage, choose the tops of the only breaks in the monotonous level, 

 which are small rounded knolls and tussocks. The male utters its song as it flies 

 upward from one of these knolls, and when it reaches the height of ten or fifteen 

 yards it extends the points of its wings upwards, forming a large V-shaped figure, and 

 floats gently to the ground, uttering, as it slowly sinks, its liquid tones, which fall in 

 tinkling succession upon the ear, and are perhaps the sweetest notes that one hears 

 during the entire spring time of these regions. It is an exquisite jingling melody, having 

 much less power than that of the Bobolink, but with the same general character, and, 

 though shorter, it has even more melody than the song of that well-known bird. There 

 is such joyous exultation in the song that the songster assumes a new place in one's 

 regard. 



". . . . The nests are generally placed on the drier portions of the flats; a hummock 

 or tuft of grass is chosen, or perhaps a projecting bunch of dwarf willow stems, and as 

 one comes directly upon it, the female usually flutters off under one's feet; the male 

 keeps in the immediate vicinity, and joins with his mate in a cheeping protest at the 

 intrusion. If the eggs are nearly ready to hatch the females show the greatest solicitude, 

 as they do also in case the nest contains young. In one instance a parent was driven 

 from her eggs just as they were about to hatch, and she ran along the ground for a 

 few yards, uttering a plaintive note, like chee chee chee, in a fine, vibrating, metallic 

 tone, at the same time dragging her outspread wings and tail upon the ground, and 

 fluttering as though in mortal agony." 



The eggs, four to six in number, are much pointed at the smaller end, and are 

 very dark. colored, much like those of the Titlark. The color is a "heavy clouding 

 or thick mottling" of chocolate-brown; the ground-color is greenish-gray and their size 

 .80X.62. 



The summer home of the Lapland Longspur in North America extends from the 

 Great Slave Lake and the Mackenzie River northward. 



