386 
FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC 
537. Calcarius pietus (Swains.). Smith’s Longspur. Ad. cf in sum- 
mer. — Top and sides of the head black, a line over the eye and the ear-coverts 
white ; back and rump streaked with black and ochraceous-buff ; lesser wing- 
coverts black, broadly tipped with white; tail fuscous, the two outer feathers 
mostly white; nape and underparts ochraceous-buff. Ad. $ in summer . — 
Upperparts black, the feathers margined and tipped with pale cream-buff; 
two outer tail-feathers mostly white ; underparts pale cream-buff ; breast and 
sides sometimes lightly streaked with blackish, j* in winter . — Similar to 9 
in summer, but with the lesser wing-coverts black, tipped with white. L., 
6*60; W., 3*75; T., 2*50; B., ‘42. 
Range . — Interior of N. A. Breeds in Arctic zone on the Barren Grounds 
from Ft. Anderson, Mackenzie, e. to Hudson Bay (Ft. Churchill); has been 
taken w. to Ft. Yukon; winters from Kans. to cen. Tex.; e. in migrations to 
the prairies of Ills, and sw. Ind. ; casual in S. C. 
Nesting , similar to that of the preceding. Date, Ft. Anderson, Mack., 
June 12. 
“Their habits are quite similar to those of C. lapponicus while 
upon the ground. . . When flushed they invariably uttered a sharp, 
clicking note, rapidly repeated several times. When driven from their 
feeding-place by my approach they would rise in a loose flock, and, 
after wheeling about a few times, start off in a direct line, gradually 
rising higher until they disappeared. After a short time their peculiar 
note would be heard, and, darting down from a considerable height, 
they would alight near the place from which they were driven” (Nelson). 
The Chestnut-collared Longspur (538. Calcarius ornatus ) a species 
of the Great Plains, has been recorded from Massachusetts, Long Island, 
Maryland and Maine. 
McCown’s Longspur (539. Rhynchophanes mccowni), a species of the 
Great Plains, is of casual occurrence in Illinois. 
540. Pooeeetes gramineus gramineus (Gmel.). Vesper Sparrow. 
Ads . — Upperparts brownish gray, streaked with black and a little ochra- 
ceous-buff; wings fuscous, greater and middle coverts tipped with white, 
lesser coverts bright rufous; tail fuscous, the outer feather mostly white, the 
next one with much less white; underparts white; the breast and sides 
streaked with black and ochraceous-buff. L., 6T2; W., 3*06; T., 2’38; B., *41. 
Remarks . — The white tail-feathers and rufous lesser wing-coverts will 
always distinguish this species from any other of our Sparrows. 
Range. — E. N. Am. Breeds 
in lower Canadian, Transition, 
and Upper Austral zones from 
sw. Keewatin, cen. Ont., cen. 
Que., and Cape Breton Is. s. to 
e. Neb., cen. Mo., Ky., Va., and 
N. C., w. to w. Minn.; winters 
from the s. part of its breeding 
range to the Gulf coast, w. to 
middle Tex. ; casual in Bermuda 
and Yucatan. 
Washington, P. R., very 
common T. V., less so in sum- 
mer and winter. Ossining, toler- 
Fig. 103. Tail-feathers of Vesper Sparrow. 
ably common S. R., Apl. 2 to Nov. 4. Cambridge, common S. R., Apl. 5- 
Oct. 25. N. Ohio, abundant S. R., Mch. 20-Nov. 7. Glen Ellyn, fairly 
common S. R., Mch. 21-Oct. 25. SE. Minn., common S. R., Apl. 1-Oct. 29. 
Nest, of rather coarse grass, lined with finer grasses, rootlets, and long 
