113 



EEDPOLL. 



Adutl male. Crown very deep crimson; back grayish brown, the feathers it\ar- 

 gined with buff; upper tail coverts white or rose pink; wings and tail dusky, the 

 feathers more or less edged with whitish ; middle of the throat black ; breast in birds 

 of high plumage suffused with rose pink; sides streaked with blackish. 



Adult female. Similar, but without pink on breast or tail; coverts and sides 

 more heavily streaked. 



L., 5.50; W., 2.75; T., 2.33. 



Nest, in a low tree. Eggs, four or five, pale bluish, spotted with reddish brown. 



PINE FINCH— SISKIN. 



Above, dull olivacious streaked with dusky and brown, the feathers margined 

 with pale grayish; wings dusky, most of the feathers margined with yellow and 

 yellow at the base ; tail dusky all but the middle feathers, yellow at the base ; under 

 parts whitish and heavily streaked with dusky. 



L., 5.00; W., 2.75; T., 1.85. 



Nest, in coniferous trees. Eggs, four or five, pale bluish white, thinly spotted 

 with reddish brown. 



GROSBEAKS. 



The Rose-hreasted Grosbeak is one of the largest and most beautiful of the 

 family, and is of more than usual interest because it is one of the very few 

 birds that will eat the Colorado potato beetle and its larvs, and also the larv» of 

 the Tussock moth, this last being a hairy caterpillar very destructive to almost all 

 shade and orchard trees. 



I have had two of these birds in my possession for a long time, one of them 

 for sixteen years. They are both extremely fond of potato beetles and will at any 

 time readily eat from ten to a dozen of them from my fingers and then, like Oliver 

 Twist, ask for more. 



Unfortunately these Grosbeaks are of a retiring disposition and usually resort 

 to the seclusion of the woods, probably because, owing to its bright plumage, it has 

 been persecuted. Of late, however, it seems to be increasing in Ontario, and if 

 unmolested it may possibly become more familiar in its habits. If so its services 

 in lessening the number of Tussock Moths and potato beetles would be of great 

 value. 



None of the members of this family are addicted to eating the ordinary grain or 

 fruit crops. 



GROSBEAKS. 



Description. 



ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 



Adult male. Head, throat and back black; upper tail coverts white barred with 

 black ; wings black ; primaries, white at the base and wing coverts tipped with white ; 

 tail black, the outer feathers tipped with white on the inner web ; breast bright car- 

 mine ; under wing coverts rose red ; rest of under parts white. 



Adult female. Upper parts grayish brown, the feathers margined with buffy 

 gray ; a buff line down the centre of the crown and a white line over the eye ; wings 

 and tail dusky brown, wing coverts tipped with white; under wings, coverts yellow; 

 the rest of the under parts creamy, streaked with brown. 



