Rose Breasted Grosbeak. 191 



during the migrating and early nesting Bcason, appears 

 to be almost unknown except to the close observer of 

 bird-life. No other Illinois bird possesses more attractive 

 characteristics than does the rose-breasted grosbeak, for 

 he is endowed with charming song, splendid plumage, and 

 most engaging manners. He is one of the most showily 

 attired birds which haunt the highways, having his upper 

 parts deep black, his breast a deep carmine, and the 

 remaining lower parts pure white. The female, however, 

 dresses more plainly, wearing a gown of yellowish brown, 

 streaked with darker colors above,and her head is streaked 

 with white. The under parts of her dress are dingy white, 

 streaked with brown on the sides and breast. With his 

 beauty of attire, the male is gifted with a voice of sur- 

 passing richness, which rings from the tops of the *elm 

 trees above the sidewalks, but which is so seldom noticed 

 by the indifferent passers-by. His loud, clear song can be 

 heard at any time of the day after the elm buds burst into 

 leaf and the perfume of the first apple blossoms float in 

 the air, until the early days of July. 



Unlike most other birds, he is seldom seen long on the 

 wing, as he prefers to spend his time among the foliage 

 of a favorite tree. Few birds are so leisurely in their 

 movements as the grosbeak. An individual will linger 

 for many minutes on the same branch and for hours in a 

 tree, if it is undisturbed, feeding on the seeds of the elm 

 and pulling insects from their lurking places in the 

 unfolding buds and in the bark. I have known a gros- 

 beak to spend several hours in a large elm tree, uttering 

 his beautiful chansons at intervals, and frequently hop- 

 ping from one branch to another, to pick insects from 

 leaves and buds which attracted its fancy. Like the 

 prairie horned lark, the rose-breasted grosbeak generally 

 utters its song with its head lowered in the act of picking 

 at its food, though at times it sings merely for the sake 

 of singing. 



The species has an extensive range, being found in all 

 temperate North America east of the Missouri Eiver. It 

 nests as far south as 39° 20' in special localities, and 

 according to Eobert Eidgway, " north to Labrador and the 



