56 PINE GROSBEAK. 



receive the blue color until the ensuing spring; and till then very much 

 resemble the female. 



Latham makes two varieties of this species ; the first -wholly blue, 

 except a black spot between the bill and eye ; this bird inhabits Brazil, 

 and is figured by Brisson, Orn. III., 821, No. 6, pi. 17, fig. 2. The 

 other is also generally of a fine deep blue, except the quills, tail and 

 legs, which are black ; this is Edwards' " Blue Gi-osbeak from Angola," 

 pi. 125 ; which Dr. Latham suspects to have been brought from some 

 of the Brazilian settlements, and considers both as mere varieties of the 

 first. I am sorry I cannot at present clear up this matter, but shall 

 take some farther notice of it hereafter. 



Species IV. LOXIA ENUCLEATOR. 



PINE GROSBEAK. 



[Plate V. Fig. 2.] 



Loxia Enucleator, Linn. St/st. i., p. 299, 3. — Le Dur-bec, on Gros-hec de Canada. 

 BuFFON, III., p. 457. PI. Enl. 135, 1.— Edw. 123, 124.— Lath. Syn. in., p. 

 111,5. 



This is perhaps one of the gayest plumaged land birds that frequent 

 the inhospitable regions of the north, whence they are driven, as if with 

 reluctance, by the rigors of winter, to visit Canada, and some of the 

 Northern and Middle States ; returning to Hudson's Bay so early as 

 April. The specimen from which our drawing was taken, was shot on 

 a cedar tree, a few miles to the north of Philadelphia, in the month of 

 December ; and a faithful resemblance of the original, as it then ap- 

 peared, is exhibited in the plate. A few days afterwards, another bird 

 of the same species was killed not far from Gray's Ferry, four miles 

 south of Philadelphia, which proved to be a female. In this part of the 

 state of Pennsylvania, they are rare birds, and seldom seen. As they 

 do not, to my knowledge, breed in any part of this state, I am unable, 

 from personal observation, to speak of their manners or musical talents. 

 Pennant says, they sing on their first arrival in the country round Hud- 

 son's Bay, but soon become silent ; make their nest on trees, at a 

 small height from the ground, with sticks, and line it with feathers. 

 The female lays four white eggs, which are hatched in June. Foster 

 observes, that they visit Hudson's Bay only in May, on their way tc 

 the north ; and are not observed to return in the autumn ; and that 

 their food consists of birch-willow buds, and others of the same 

 nature.* 



* Phil. Trans. LXII., p. 402. 



