OF NEW ENGLAND. 183 



They breed in the Arctic countries, and when obliged to travel 

 to the southward, as they sometimes are, it is supposed, by 

 lack of food, occur in the United States in November, April, 

 and more often the intervening months. They move in flocks, 

 which vary in size, but sometimes consist of two hundred or 

 even more, and which are frequently augmented by the compan- 

 ionship of Goldfinches and other birds. These flocks always 

 seem, however, to consist of more than one species, since the 

 individuals, among whom the young predominate, represent 

 various colorations at the diflferent periods of their growth. 



The "Red-polls" wander continually during their visits, and 

 hence are very irregular in appearance at different localities. 

 I have never observed them to feed from the evergreens, but 

 they have a marked fondness for the seeds of white birches 

 and of alders, and according to Brehm, the German ornitholo- 

 gist, pass the summer among the former trees in the most 

 northern part of Europe. They often gather where the coarse 

 field-weeds project above the snow, on banks or roadsides, and 

 also feed upon the ground. They allow quite a near approach, 

 and when finally so startled as to take flight, often return to 

 the spot just left, after circling in the air. Though not alarmed 

 by man's approach, they are often shy of venturing near to 

 buildings, though I remember to have seen two staying for a 

 moment to feed with Snow-birds on some grain scattered be- 

 fore the window of a dining-room. 



The following extracts from my Journal will illustrate the 

 habits of these birds. " March 4th. Sunrise in Boston at 6.30 

 a. m., sunset at 5.55 p. m. * * * At twenty minutes before 

 six this afternoon, whilst I was exercising the dogs, a ' Redpoll' 

 alighted near me in a small apple-tree. He paid almost no 

 attention to me or my companions, though we were noisy, and 

 I was at one time within five feet of him. The dogs I finally 

 sent away. The bird at first uttered his sweet call-note, in 

 order, I suppose, that he might obtain the companionship of 

 his mates, if any were near, and occasionally other sounds to 

 express his satisfaction, as he obtained from the bark bits 

 of food so minute as to be invisible to my eye. He displayed 



