536 "U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 237 pabt i 



He states that he has found the blooming season of the spruces to be 

 by far the best time to find these birds of northern association, that: 



This season ordinarily covers the first three weeks in June; June 10 is, generally 

 speaking, near the height of the blossoming period. At this time the young 

 spruces bear, during most years, a light to heavy crop of ovulate strobili con- 

 taining numerous bract-like carpels which are coated with a waxy or resinous 

 substance that is distinctly sweet to the taste. On many of the carpels this sub- 

 stance forms beads. The coated carpels are eaten avidly by both Red and 

 White-winged Crossbills {Loxia curvirostra and L. leucoptera) and by Pine Siskins 

 (Spinus pinus) . These strobili, many of which never ripen into cones, are much 

 more in evidence on young spruces (15 to 25 years old) than on older trees, and 

 they are much more likely to occur annually than are mature cones. 



P. B. Hofslund (1955) comments on the wasteful procedure of four 

 birds, including an adult male, feeding on cones of white spruce 

 {Picea glauca). Cones were clipped off from the cluster, held on a 

 branch by one foot, a few scales torn off; then the cone was dropped. 

 The procedure was watched for 30 minutes during which 59 cones 

 were clipped and dropped. Few of the 619 cones picked up at the 

 spot had more than four or five scales torn from them. 



W. L. Putnam (1955) watched two birds feeding on the seeds of 

 teasel (Dipsacus sylvestris). 



Behavior. — Though adaptable to a wide range of food, the predilec- 

 tion of this species for cones appears dominant. In the northern 

 coniferous forests, the size of or absence of the cone crop bears a 

 du'ect relationship to the birds' probable presence. Thus, in late 

 August and early September 1950, they were abundant on Katahdin 

 in Maine, in evidence on every part of the mountain I visited. On 

 September 2 there were four birds flying over the Tableland, a rather 

 level area in comparison to the rest of the mountain which extends 

 for several miles at a minimimi altitude of about 4,000 feet. Except 

 for dense growths of stunted conifers that are almost impenetrable to 

 humans on the lower parts of the mountain, the region is above the 

 tree line. Seen often under conditions of unobscured view such as 

 this, the birds impress me as being restless, powerful fliers, capable of 

 rapid sustained flight for distances of several miles or more. On these 

 long flights the birds fly straight and without undulation, calling 

 constantly to each other and at times singing. 



Occasionally in a season when cones are scarce, a lone bird or even 

 a small group may be encountered. A lone bird seems self-sufl5cient, 

 ready to mingle with other fringillids perhaps, but not dependent. On 

 May 31, 1948, I watched at length a stray female at an abandoned 

 open horse shed beside the Carrabassett River in Maine. Several 

 hundred siskins {Spinus pinus) were feeding on the ground inside and 

 around the shed or were scattered through the adjoining alders. The 

 crossbill stayed with, yet aloof from, the siskins, moving in a sedate 



