274 MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB. 



that on May 19th, 1901, with Mr. Warren Huntington and two others, he found 

 on a sidehill at Amesbury not far from the Merrimac River, a pair of Cardinal 

 Grosbeaks and observed them minutely from the distance of twenty-five feet, so 

 that there was no possible doubt as to their identity. Mr. Chase felt sure from 

 the way they acted that they nested in that locality, as they appeared to be look- 

 ing for nesting-material. 



242 [595] Zamelodia ludoviciana (Linn.). 

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak. 



Common summer resident ; May 8 to September 2 1 . 



Eggs : May 29 to June 1 5 . 



This bird, so charming both in song and in plumage, has increased in num- 

 bers of late years. Thus Putnam ^ says : " Six or eight years ago this bird was 

 very rare in this vicinity but now it is quite common. — J[illson]." It is 

 certainly more common now than it was twenty-five years ago. Their song is 

 beautiful, but their call note is sharp and trying to the ears, suggestive of the 

 squeaking of two branches rubbing together. The female may sometimes be 

 heard to repeat several times a faint and sweet enquiry-note ia//j ? to which the 

 male replies, dear dear deary chiri and much else equally pleasant. I have 

 found potato beetles in their stomachs. 



243 [598] Cyanospiza cyanea (Linn.). 

 Indjgo Bunting; Indigo-bird. 



Not uncommon summer resident ; May 9 to September. 



Eggs : June 14 to June 22. 



It is probable that this bird has become slightly less common during the 

 last quarter of a century. 



1 F. W. Putnam: Proc. Essex Inst., vol. i, p. 212, 1856. 



