No. 20.] THE BIRDS OF CONNECTICUT. II7 



In a swampy spot, grown up with bushes and small trees, in 

 the Little River marshes, near Middletown, is a roost where 

 thousands of blackbirds congregate. Here the Purple and 

 Bronzed Crackles outnumber all other species in early November. 

 (J. H. S.) 



Family FRINGILLIDtE. Finches, Sparrows, etc. 



Hesperiphona vespertina vespertina (W. Cooper). Eve- 

 ning Crosbeak. 



A very rare accidental winter visitor; only recorded in recent 

 years. 



Connecticut records. Last w^eek in February, 1890, Cobalt 

 (Chatham), nine or ten seen, two killed, March 6, one male 

 (Bailey, in coll. of J. H. S.) ;^ March 2, 1890, East Hampton 

 (Chatham), flock of 12-14 seen, one male killed (in coll. of H, 

 E. Rich) ;2 March 10, 1890, Gaylordsville (New Milford), 

 female shot from fllock of four or five (E. H. Austin) f April 12, 

 1911, Woodstock, male and female taken (in coll. of Wadsworth 

 Atheneum, Hartford). 



The following reports of the presence of this species in 

 Connecticut have appeared in print. That of February, 1905, 

 in Litchfield w^as investigated carefully by Mr. E. S. Woodruflf, 

 who decided the birds w^ere not Evening Grosbeaks; and some 

 of the other records seem open to question, as no specimens were 

 collected. Feb. 1-14, 1905, Litchfield, flock of thirty (Hutchins)^; 

 Feb. 5-22, 1907, Bristol, several seen (Bruen) ; Oct. 17, 1909, 

 Talcott Mt., West Hartford, seen (St. John)^; Jan. 13, 1911, 

 Canaan, flock of eight (Adam)"; Feb. 12, 1911, Talcott Mt., 

 West Hartford, one pair seen (St. John)^; Feb. 13, 191 1, Taft- 

 ville, a flock of eight males and eighteen females seen 

 (Werking)^; Dec, 1910 — April, 1911, Woodstock, flock of 

 about seventy-five seen". 



^Forest and Stream, xxxiv, lo, p. 187. 



^Aiik, X, 2, p. 207. 



^ Auk, vii, 2, p. 211. 



* Bird-Lore, vii, 3, p. 173. 



^Bird-Lore, xiii, 2, p. 94. 



'Hartford Courant, Apr. 4, igii. 



