LAND BIRDS. 467 



tail-coverts. Two conspicuous white or whitish wing-bars at all ages. 

 Bill very stout, but short and small for a grosbeak. 



Distribution. — Northern parts of Northern Hemisphere to about the 

 northern limit of trees; south in winter irregularly into the United states 

 east of the Rocky Mountains; breeds mainly north of the United States. 



The Pine Grosbeak is a winter visitor to Michigan, coming with some 

 regularity into the northern part of the state, and once in a dozen years 

 perhaps appearing in large numbers and extending its range over the whole 

 of the state. As far south as the latitude of Lansing a few individuals 

 are seen almost every winter, but in the two southern tiers of counties, 

 and particularly in the southeastern corner of the state, it is a comparatively 

 rare visitor. At Ann Arbor Mr. Covert states that it was very common 

 during the winter of 1874-75, and a few specimens were taken in December 

 1878, but that ordinarily it is not seen. In 1881 it was seen in flocks 

 of thousands in Jackson county, but with that exception is considered 

 rare. At Plymouth, Wayne county, Mr. Purdy took a single bird December 

 9, 1903, which he says is the only one he ever saw there. Mr. Swales does 

 not consider it common about Detroit, but two were killed near there 

 November 9, 1903, and two more were seen March 6, 1904. They were 

 fairly common at Kalamazoo during the first week in December, 1903, 

 and several specimens were taken. A few are seen almost every winter 

 on the campus of the Agricultural College, Ingham county, and two or 

 three times since 1894 they have been present in large numbers, and from 

 December to March. Occasionally they come from the north in November, 

 and in New England they have been noted repeatedly in October, but as 

 a general rule they do not appear until December or later, and a few 

 instances are known in which they have been absent until February and 

 then have appeared in large numbers. 



Though ordinarily seen in flocks, sometimes to the number of one hundred 

 and fifty or two hundred, they also occur singly or in pairs, but these single 

 birds are readily attracted by a whistled imitation of their note" and always 

 seem anxious to rejoin others of their kind. Usually they prefer regions 

 where conifers are abundant and much of their food consists of the buds 

 of pine, spruce and tamarack, and of the berries of the Virginia juniper, 

 but they also eat the buds of other trees and are particularly fond of the 

 seeds of maples, the berries of the mountain ash, and a large variety of other 

 berries and seeds. They are quite unsuspicious, allowing a very close 

 approach while feeding, and the writer has frequently taken them alive 

 with a butterfly net or with a noose of wire on the end of a fishing-rod. 

 A great majority of the specimens which we see appear to be young birds, 

 the proportion of old males, as indicated by the rosy color, being seldom 

 greater than one in twenty-five, and not infrequently a flock of fifty or 

 more will not contain a single high-plumaged male. 



The call-note is a very clear whistle, repeated two or three times, and 

 resembles somewhat the plaintive note of a lost chicken. On sunny days 

 in winter, especially after an abundant repast on seeds and berries, the 

 male frequently warl)les a low, sweet song which somewhat resembles 

 that of the Purple Finch. During the nesting season it is said to have 

 a beautiful warbling song of considerable volume and great sweetness. 



The Pine Grosbeak is not known to nest within our limits; in fact, United 

 States nesting records are few, and mainly uncertain. The only suggestion 

 of possible nesting lies in the fact that M'Creary, who accompanied the 

 University of Michigan party to Isle Royale in 1905, found two Pine 



