252 



MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



a field at Ipswich on February 25th, 1900, that proved to be of this race. They 

 were kindly identified by Mr. William Brewster, and are now in my collection. 

 Mr. Brewster says ' : " In February, 1883, it occurred along the seacoast near 

 Boston in positive abundance. On the 19th of this month Mr. Spelman and I 

 took thirteen specimens at Revere Beach [adjoining Lynn] in about two hours, 

 and on the 2 2d, at Nantasket Beach, two young collectors, by a few random 

 shots into an e.xceptionally large mixed flock of Redpolls, secured forty speci- 

 mens, of which si.x proved to be A. linaria, and thirty-four rostrata." 



215 [529] Astragalinus tristis (Linn.). 

 American Goldfinch; Yellow-bird. 



Permanent resident, abundant in summer, not uncommon in winter. 



Eggs: July to August 11. 



At sunset of a winter's day, late in January, I found one of these birds 

 anxiously flitting about a small pine grove on Heartbreak Hill, alighting at the 

 bases of the trees, and finally popping into a hole about a foot deep in the snow 

 under a stump. Frightened from there, it flew about nervously for a few min- 

 utes, but at last returned to the same hole close beside which I was sitting 

 motionless. As it was so nearly dark, I had not been sme of the bird's identity, 

 so I tried to catch it in my hat, but it escaped. It finally cuddled into the pro- 

 tected side of a footprint in the snow, and was there easily captured by my 

 companion. It was evident that the Goldfinch had been searching for a pro- 

 tected hole in which to pass the night, — a safe place in that region as the snow 

 showed no marks of prowling animals. I have recorded this, for observations on 

 the sleeping habits of birds are few. 



216 [533] Spinus pinus (Wils.). 

 Pine Siskin ; Pine Finch. 



Irregular and at times abundant winter visitor ; October 22 to April 5. 

 Putnam^ records these birds as present in small numbers in 1854. Maynard, 



' Wm. Brewster, ed. : Minot's Land-birds and Game-birds of ITevv England, p. 472, 1895. 

 "F. W. Putnam: Proc. Essex Inst., vol. i, p. 211, 1856. 



