BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 295 



cannot be quite assured of my authority. Those I have from 

 its noted breeding places are made of fine roots, grasses and 

 occasional hairs. Not infrequently other materials are incor- 

 porated, like fine strips of the inner bark-like fibers of rank 

 weeds, and sometimes mosses. 



The eggs are bluish-green with spots and lines of dark brown 

 or black, and are much the smallest at one end. I understand 

 from reliable observers that they rear two broods each season, 

 of four to five, the nests being found at distances varying from 

 twenty to forty feet from the ground, and commonly in conif- 

 erous trees, but not uniformly. 



It is said to be extremely destructive to the buds of fruit 

 trees in New England, which makes it very unwelcome despite 

 its beautiful warblings and plumage, but no complaints have 

 yet been heard from pomologists in Minnesota. They are said 

 to bear confinement well, and become delightfully pugnacious 

 little pets, like their more domestic cousins, the House Finch 

 or Burions of California. 



Dr. J. C. Hvoslef reports it at Lanesboro, near the southern 

 Umit of the State, April 26, 1884. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 



Second quill longest; first shorter than third, considerable 

 longer than fourth; body crimson, palest on the rump and 

 breast, darkest across the middle of the back and wing 

 coverts, where the feathers have dusky centers; the red 

 extends below continuously to the lower part of the breast and 

 in spots to the tibi^; belly and under tail coverts white, 

 streaked faintly with brown, except in the very middle; edges 

 of wings and tail feathers brownish red; lesser coverts like 

 the back; two reddish bands across the wings, over the middle 

 and greater coverts; lores dull grayish. 



Length, 6,25; wing, 3.35; tail, 2.50; bill above, 0.45. 



Habitat, eastern North America west to the Plains. 



LOXIA CURVIROSTRA MINOR (Brehm). ( 521 ) 

 AMERICAN CROSSBILL. 



Somewhat irregularly common in small flocks which usually 

 come about the 10th of November in this locality, this remark- 

 able species is found in the winter months in nearly all of the 

 timbered sections of the State. Their habit of roving around 

 from one locality to another is quite characteristic, and they 

 suddenly whirl from a given direction of flight and perch upon 

 some dry tree-top, leaving themselves by their conspicious col- 



20 z 



