1904I The Winter Fringillid^ of New Brunswick. • 167 



English Sparrow. Passer domesticus. 



This species lives in winter in towns and villages. The 

 families raised throughout the country in summer return to their 

 winter quarters during October. A few pairs nest even in winter. 

 In April they begin to scatter about the country again. 



Red Crossbill Loxia americana minoi . 



This species was very common during the winter of 1902-3, 

 feeding upon the salted gravel which we put out upon a sma^l 

 board for them. This preparation they ate greedily, seeming to 

 be particularly fond of the saity flavor. They were joined at'' the 

 salt-lick, as we termed it, by the white-winged crossbill, pine finch, 

 goldfinch and redpoll. When eafing they would turn "the head,' 

 side downward, to enable them to catch up the particles in the 

 bill. When licking the salt the tongue would be extended, until 

 the base was out past the tip of th^ bill. The tongue would be 

 protruded and withdrawn four times per second. They nested 

 during the winter, as we now saw the n collect teodrils from a vine 

 at the house, and also observed them getting wool. The females 

 only were collecting the material, their mates assisted by doing 

 the looking on. In February young birds of this species came to 

 the salt-lick, and still had the down adhering to the tips of their 

 feathers, 



White WINGED Crossbill. Loxia leucoptera. 



This species may be termed a rare visitor in the vicinity of 

 Fredericton, yet they are known to live in summer in the northern 

 highlands of the province. Occasionally they come this way and 

 at times are fairly common. This species, like the preceding one, 

 feeds upon the fruits of spruce, black alder and birch, and like the 

 former rears its young in winter. The wing-bars, of the first 

 plumage of the young, are of a tan color. The song of the adult 

 male is somewhat like that of the purple finch, and is poured forth 

 while the bird is on the wing, either circling above and around his 

 mate, or when floating in the air after the manner of the purple 

 finch. Beautiful indeed are they as they display their colors, some 

 clear sunny day, against a background of snow-laden conifers. 



