FINCHES. 183 



Ornithologists very generally have advanced the theory that 

 those birds who pass the summer in a locality where the spe- 

 cies which they represent are resident throughout the year 

 retire in winter to the South, leaving their place to be sup- 

 plied by others of the same kind from the north. Mr. May- 

 nard, however, ingeniously argues that this is not the case, 

 at least with the Hairy Woodpecker."^ However the case 

 may be, it is certain that many Goldfinches pass the winter 

 near Boston. 



In those months during which snow generally covers the 

 earth, they wander, usually in small flocks, feeding, as at other 

 times of the year, upon the seeds of pines or weeds, and such 

 suitable things as they can find upon the ground. The males 

 are then in their winter dress, and do not assume their gay 

 summer livery until April. In March the " Yellowbirds " be- 

 come rather common, and in April abundant. About the first 

 of May, or even later, they often associate in large companies 

 with the Purple Finches and other members of their family, 

 and frequent orchards and various places where they can pro- 

 cure food from the ground. The song of the male (for the 

 female does not sing) may often be heard at this time, pre- 

 vious to and during which they ramble over open country and 

 cultivated lands, rendered noticeable by the jet black and 

 bright yellow of the gayer sex. These flocks are gradually 

 broken up, but at all seasons of the year the so-called " Yellow- 

 birds " show a social spirit, whence, even in summer, two 

 or three often enjoy one another's society and fly about to- 

 gether. 



The followinof observations on their habits in summer were 

 made among the White Mountains, where, in certain districts, 

 they were very numerous. The Goldfinches there inhabited 

 the pasture land, in which they often built their nests, over 

 which they wandered, and from which chiefly they obtained 

 their food. There were in the place but few trees on the road- 

 sides, except such as formed the part of some wood (and in 

 woods these birds never build their nests*), but the large 



■^•^ The Naturalist's Guide, p. 129. exceptions, even in the country about 



* This rule is subject to occasional Boston. — W. B. 



