FINCHES. 189 



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 vaiy in size, but sometimes consist of two hundred or 

 even more, and which are frequently augmented by the 

 companionship 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, repre- 

 sent various colorations at the different 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 birches 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 'Red- 

 poll ' alighted near me in a small apple tree. He j^aid 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 su})pose, that he might obtain the compan- 

 ionship 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 thoroughly his great skill in climbing, and often, in 



