42 



Point, the mouth of Eagle River, and several other localities. 

 The existence of these dunes on the borders of fresh water 

 refutes the opinion hitherto held by geologists, that the action of 

 the tide is necessary for their formation, enough sand drying 

 during the ebb to be borne oft* by the winds. On the other hand, 

 as they occur only on flat coasts where the waters are subjected 

 to considerable motion either from currents or from the action of 

 the winds, or both combined, it is fair to regard these as the 

 agents by which they have been formed. 



Mr. T. M. Brewer stated, on the authority of a letter from 

 an observing ornithologist, in East Bethel, Vt., that the Pine 

 Grosbeak, (^Strobilophaga enucleator,) a bird whose habits 

 are little known, was at this moment remarkably abundant 

 in that neighborhood, not only in the woods, but in the 

 vicinity of farm-houses, being driven by hunger to their 

 very door-steps. This bird is an irregular visitant, at some 

 times being seen in particular localities in great numbers, 

 and then disappearing for several successive winters. 

 These occasional visits have been attributed by many to 

 great severity of weatlier in their common winter residence. 

 As the past winter has been one of unusual mildness, the 

 supposition appears not to be tenable, and renders more 

 probable the opinion that their migrations are caused by an 

 insufficient supply of food in their northern haunts. 



The accounts recently published in the newspapers, of 

 birds breeding in the midst of tlie winter, at Bristol, Me., 

 probably had reference to this bird. Two nests were said 

 to have been found in February, which must have been 

 constructed in the winter. One contained young. 



The letter from Bethel also stated that both species of 

 Crossbill were very abundant there this season. 



It was somewhat singular that the common Lesser Red- 

 poll, {Fringilla linaria,) usually so abundant there in win- 

 ter, this year had not been noticed. Last year another 

 variety of P».edpoll was observed in that neighborhood which 

 frequented the woods, the common bird always keeping 



