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The Evening Grosbeak 



Evening Grosbeak. From the painting by Bruce 

 Horsfall, reproduced from Bird-Lore, Vol. ix, 1907. 



Below are printed, in full, the records of 

 the occurrence of the Evening Grosbeak, 

 to which brief reference was made in the 

 preceding issue of Bird-Lore, together 

 with a number of others since received. 

 It is evident that unusual numbers of 

 this fine bird have extended their winter 

 wanderings far east of the boundaries of 

 their regular winter range. Replying to 

 the inquiries of several correspondents, we 

 may state here that the Evening Grosbeak 

 does not winter regularly east of Wiscon- 

 sin, where, according to Kumlien and 

 Hollister ('Birds at Wisconsin,' p. 90), 

 it is a ''common winter visitant any time 

 from December on." In south- 

 eastern Minnesota, Dr. T. S. Roberts 

 writes, "It is a common visitant appearing 

 about October 17 and remaining as late as 

 May 19." 



The frequency of the occurrence of the 

 Evening Grosbeak to the eastward of 

 these states decreases as the distance in- 

 creases. (See especially, Butler, Auk, 1892, 

 pp. 238-247.) Consequently, while irreg- 

 ular, it is by no means rare or infrequent 

 in Illinois and Michigan, but there are no 

 records for the New England States prior 

 to the winter of 1889—90, when the bird 

 appeared there in large numbers, and was 



reported from every state but Rhode 

 Island. According to Brewster ('Birds of 

 the Cambridge Region,' p. 251), "they 

 were noted first at South Sudbury, Mas- 

 sachusetts, on January 15; and last at 

 Henniker, New Hampshire, on May i;. 

 they were present in greatest 

 numbers during January, February and 

 March, and most of them apparently de- 

 parted before April, no doubt returning 

 whence thej' came." 



The most southern record during this 

 incursion was at Summit, N. J., on March 

 6, when eight birds were observed (Ray- 

 mond, Orn. and Ool., XV, 1890, p. 46); 

 but the known range of the species has 

 now been slightly extended by Mr. Miller, 

 who found it at Plainfield, N. J., as re- 

 corded below. 



Since 1890, the Evening Grosbeak has 

 been observed in New England on several 

 occasions, but there has been no flight 

 in any way comparable with that of the 

 present winter. — Frank M. Chapm.\n. 



Rochester, N. Y., February 10, 1911. 

 — Referring to your editorial in the cur- 

 rent Bird-Lore, there can be no doubt 

 that the evening Grosbeak has this winter 

 visited many places in the North and East, 

 where before he had been seen rarely, if 

 at all. A flock of six was in this city for 

 several days, in late December — one flock 

 at least. On the 31st, I examined these 

 birds at my leisure. They were feeding in 

 a tree at a distance of only fifteen or 

 twenty feet and I made out every detail 

 of the plumage. No observations could 

 have been more accurate and satis- 

 factory. A number of other students had 

 the same opportunity. — Dr. C. A. Dewey 



Rochester, N. Y., February 15, 191 1. 

 — I give below the dates of the appearance 

 of the Evening Grosbeak at Rochester, 

 and am happy to say that, as the good 

 news of their being here was passed about 

 quickly, about twenty people had the pleas- 

 ure of seeing them, and more than once. 



(92) 



