56 PINE GROSBEAK. 



I have described above, the plumages as tliey are found to 

 occur, but it may be possible that, like the Purple Finch, 

 some males ^vhich are gra}^ never assume the red dress, but 

 it appears evident, that this red plumage is acquired quite 

 gradually, at least three years being required to perfect it. 

 The male in the red plum.age is usually not abundant. 



Dimensions. Length, 8.57 ; stretch, 13.70 ; wing, 4.G0; 

 tail, 3.85 ; bill, .55 ; tarsus, .75. 



Comparisons. We have no other bird in New England, 

 w^hich is as large as this, which has the Grosbeak-like bill, 

 white banded wings and deeply forked tail. 



Nests and Eggs. Nests placed in trees, they are flat in 

 form and composed of fine rootlets etc. and lined with finer 

 material. Eggs, four in number, oval in form, greenish drab 

 in color, spotted and blotched with dark purple and pale purp- 

 lish brown. Dimensions, .75 by 1.08. 



General Habits. This is another winter visitor which 

 comes to us from the north, and although we may have a few 

 every winter, they are much more abundant during some 

 winters than at others, their movements being governed by 

 the food supply. They breed from the mountains of north- 

 ern New England, northward. 



When with us, they frequent pines and other evergreen 

 trees, from the cones of which they are very expert in remov- 

 ing the seeds upon which they feed. I have, however, seen 

 them eating weed seeds. They also eat cedar berries. 



I know of no birds which visit thickly settled portions of 

 the world which are so tame as the Pine Grosbeaks. 

 Specimens which I have captured with a noose on the end of 

 a piece of wire not over eighteen inches long, which I held in 



