292 NOTES ON THE 



They were exceedingly unsuspicious and tame. Others 

 were subsequently secured, by nearly every birdist in this 

 locality, and letters of inquiry came from all sections respect- 

 ing them. Following this a period ensued during which for 

 several years they were rarely seen, and then only by those 

 who were watching closely for them. Later observations lead 

 me to think their lines of migration vary considerably even 

 when the seasonal characteristics do not. The earliest of my 

 own records of this autumnal arrival is November 9th. Prof. 

 C. L. Herrick reported some November 20th. Thir stay 

 amongst us is usually quite constant, and in flocks of from 20 

 to 60 about equally divided between males and females, with a 

 larger preponderence of the young of the year. 



This species has been reported to me from many localities of 

 the State at different times. Dr. J. C. Hvoslef, found a large 

 flock in Lanesboro, near the southern line which appeared there 

 on the 15th of February, although he did not fully identify 

 them until the 13th of March, by which time "they were very 

 numerous in all the woods along the Root river in this neigh- 

 borhood, and remained till May the 13th when they all left." 



W. D. Hurlburt, of Rochester, in the southeastern part of 

 the State, saw them there some time in March. He says: — 

 ' ' These birds are constantly about our lawns and trees, pick- 

 ing buds and feeding on the ground under the fir trees. I 

 notice only one note, a peep as from frogs or young chicks." 

 Mr. Edward A. Everett reports them at Waseca February 26th 

 to May 12th. 



It seems from all I have seen and what I get from corre- 

 spondents throughout the State that there is a longer or 

 shorter j)eriod of a still more southern migration. 



That occasional individuals linger quite late in the spring is 

 evident from my having seen them as late as May 17th, (1876) 

 but they usually disappear, some considerably earlier. 



The Evening Grosbeak's only song in Minnesota yet heard 

 is its frog-like peeping which is kept up constantly while feed- 

 ing. When perching as they often do on the ridge of build 

 ings, and when flying, they are silent. They are exceedingly 

 fond of the buds of the box elder (Negurdo), which is a very 

 common shade tree with us. 



Their breeding places are in high latitudes to the northwest 

 of us principally, except the proper conditions are found by 

 altitude in lower latitudes. Its winter distribution is very 

 wide, indeed, embracing all the northern states and territories, 



