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Range (Interior of arctic America)

Interior of arctic America (chiefly Mackenzie River Valley) in summer, breeding north to the arctic coast and upper Yukon Valley; south, in winter, over the Great Plains and prairies to Illinois, Texas, etc. Nesting, similar to that of the preceding. ... "Their habits are quite similar to those of P. 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 and Long Island. MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR (539. Rhynchophanes mccownii), a species of the Great Plains of the interior, is of casual occurrence in Illinois. 540. Poocætes gramineus (Gmel.). VESPER SPARROW; BAY- WINGED BUNTING; GRASS FINCH. Ad. - Upper parts brownish gray, streaked with black and a little ochraceous-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; under parts white; the breast and sides streaked with black and ochraceous-buff. L., 6·12; W., 3-06; T., 2.38; B., 41.