LAND BIRDS. 555 



lists and possibly was more abundant formerly than at present, yet this is 

 not demonstrated. 



Twelve birds were seen, with a large flock of Cedar-birds, at Greenville, 

 Montcalm county, January 16, 1899, by Percy Selous, and a single specimen 

 was taken from this flock later by Mr. Selous and preserved in his collec- 

 tion. During the winter of 1908-1909, it was reported from several locaHties 

 in the Great Lakes region, in company with other northern species, notably 

 the Evening Grosbeak and Pine Gorsbeak. Mr. E. E. Brewster, of Iron 

 Mountain Avrote us March 5, 1909, that he had seen one flock of sixteen 

 and heard of numbers being seen in the city. During the same winter 

 specimens were taken on Point Pelee, Ontario, about twenty miles east of 

 Detroit (Taverner). 



According to Kumlien & Hollister it was formerly much more comriion in 

 Wisconsin than at present, and of much more regular occurrence in the 

 northern part of the state than in the southern counties. G. F. Dippie 

 states that several flocks appeared in Toronto, Canada in February 1895, 

 and were seen nearly every day until March 10. They fi-equented the 

 streets in the very heart of the city in order to feed on berries of the IMoimtain 

 Ash. "Just nine years since they were taken here last" (Nidiologist, II, 

 p. 112). 



This species nests mainly in the far north, but is said to breed as far 

 south as the United States border in the Rocky Mountains (Coues). The 

 nest and eggs are described as very similar to those of the common Cedar- 

 bird except that the eggs are decidedly larger, averaging about 1.00 by .67 

 inches (Coues). For a recent account of nest and eggs taken near Fort 

 Smith on the Slave River, near 60" north, see Auk, XXVI, 1909, p. 10. 



During its winter visits this bird feeds mainly on the same berries, seeds 

 and fruits as the Cedar-I^rd, being partial to the berries of the juniper, 

 h-aw, dogwood, mountain-ash, sumacs, etc. 



TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 



Top of head witli a long pointed crest; wings conspicuously marked with wlutc; tail 

 tipped with bright yellow. 



Adult (sexes alike) : Forehead, lores, and streak over and behind the eye, velvet black; 

 frontal part of crown bright reddish-brown or chestnut, the color usually extending along 

 the sides of the crown and sometimes tinting the wliole top of head and sides of neck; rest 

 of upper parts grayish brown to gray, the neck usually brownest, the color changing on the 

 back to brownish-gray and becoming clear ash-gray on rump and upper-tail coverts; cliin 

 deep velvet black, shading through dusky and dark gray on throat to brownish-gray on 

 chest and pure ash gray on breast, sides and belly; a white stripe at base of lower mandible, 

 changing to brown on cheeks; under tail-coverts rich chestnut, in strong contrast with 

 the ash of belly; wings slate-colored or black, the primary coverts with white tips, and a 

 conspicuous white bar across the tips of the secondaries; the inner primaries also spotted 

 with white or yellow, or both, on the tips of the outer webs; secondaries often with bright 

 red, sealing-wax-like appendages at the tips of the shafts; tail ash-gray at base, shading 

 into deep black toward the end, and broadly tipped with bright yellow; bill and feet black; 

 iris brown. Young: Much duller than adult; streaked below with brownish or dusky 

 and white; no wax-like tips on wing, but always recognizable by the crest, the yellow- 

 tipped tail and the size. 



Length 7.40 to 8.75 inches; wing 4.40 to 4.60; tail 2.75 to 2.90. 



