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Calcarius lapponicus. Lapland Longspur. — In the vicinity of Ivig- 
tut this is the least numerous of the four species of singing birds that occur. 
The relative numbers are about one Longspur to five Wheatears, ten 
Snowflakes, and ten or fifteen Redpolls. 
In 1886 the first spring comers were seen on May 24, and in 1887 on May 
22. The favorite nesting site is in flat, moist ground covered with grass or 
low bushes. Mr. Hagerup has not seen any nests at a higher elevation 
than some 200 feet. In Ivigtut valley, which contains about one third of 
an English square mile, some six or eight pairs were breeding during the 
summer of 1887. 
A nest discovered on June 16 was placed in deep moss in a moist spot 
in the valley, on the outskirts of a willow thicket, and in the vicinity of 
water. It was composed exteriorly of dried grass and roots, and lined 
with white Ptarmigan’s feathers. In it were seven eggs slightly incubated. 
On July 3 a young bird, that could hardly fly, was captured by a dog. 
This species has several alarm notes and calls of which the principal is 
a rather pleasing, though sad, flute-like note resembling tloo or tlue. The 
song, which sounds best when the bird, after mounting up in the sky, drops 
slowly to the earth with extended motionless wings, is not very long, but 
has a fine, flute-like tone, and though agreeable to the ear is rather melan- 
choly, as all the notes of this bird are. There is no variation in the song, 
nor is it repeated with great frequency. It is, however, the finest heard in 
these wilds. 
The Longspur, like all the song birds of the far north, is quite tame and 
fearless of man. but is less frequently seen in the immediate vicinitv of 
the houses at Ivigtut than the other species are. 
ABk.TI. 6ct. ,1660, P . 196 - x<11 . 
