184 



were so irregular as to preclude any definite tracing or timing of their 

 migration. Colonel Goss shot two from a small flock near Wallace, 

 Kans., May 29, 18S3 ; and others were seen at Manhattan, Kans., as 

 late as May 16, 1885. 



Passer domesticus (Linn.). [ .] European House Sparrow; English Sparrow. 



In Texas the English Sparrow is abundant at Galveston, Houston, 

 and other points about Galveston Bay. In Louisiana it is common in 

 the southeastern part of the State, and extends northward along the 

 Mississippi as far as Saint Joseph. In Mississippi it is confined to the 

 northern half of the State, and is said not to occur so far south as 

 Yicksburg or Jackson. North of this region, and east of the Missis- 

 sippi Eiver, it occupies the whole of the Mississippi Valley up to lati- 

 itutfe 45°. West of the Mississippi Eiver it occurs in eastern Arkansas, 

 north of the Arkansas Eiver; is abundant over most of Missouri (ex- 

 cept in the Ozark Hills), and Iowa (except the northwestern corner), 

 eastern Kansas, eastern Nebraska, and southeastern Minnesota, and 

 was reported from a single place in Dakota (Milltown). It generally 

 appears first in cities and towns, whence it extends its incursions to 

 the smaller villages and the currounding country, until finally it locates 

 and breeds about farm buildings often many miles from any town. It 

 is an enemy to agriculture. 



Passer montanus (Linn.). [ ] European Tree Sparrow. 



Successfully naturalized in the vicinity of Saint Louis, Mo., where it 

 is now abundant and on the increase. 



534. Plectrophenax nivalis (Linn.). [186. J Snow Bunting ; Snowflake. 



From their breeding places within the Arctic Circle these warm- 

 blooded Snowflakes come in countless thousands, beautifying and en- 

 livening many a dreary winter landscape with the quick flashing of 

 their wings and their cheery chatter. They commonly invade all of our 

 district north of latitude 39°, and less often south to latitude 35°, 

 where they are replaced by the Lapland Longspur. They are rare in 

 Kansas (Goss). Most of the notes of our observers refer to their de- 

 parture in the spring. At Saint Louis they have never been seen, and 

 they are rare in Kansas. At White Hall, 111., in the spring of 1881, 

 they stayed until March 24. A little farther north, near latitude 42° 

 and latitude 43°, they were seen as late as April 17, though the bulk 

 left the first week in April. At latitude 45° the bulk left about the 

 same time, but it was nearly May 1 before the last one departed. At 

 Portage La Prairie, Manitoba, they did not disappear until May 25, 

 and on previous years have been seen as late as June 22 when the 

 weather was very hot. 



In the fall of 1884 the first Snow Bunting appeared at Elk Eiver, 

 Minn., October 24, and the bulk arrived there November 11. At Lake 

 Mills, Wis., the first was reported December 17. At Mount Carmel, 



