16 BRIGHT FEATHERS, 
month of the year. Dr. Wood, of East Windsor Hill, tells me that 
they were almost unknown here twenty years ago, and have gradually 
become common since. I am likewise informed by Mr. Clark, of Say- 
brook, that the bird has only recently become a common species in that 
vicinity.” In view of the increasing abundance, in various localities, and 
the appearance in other sections of this bird, where it has been before 
unknown or rarely met with, I shall not be greatly surprised to 
either take or hear of its being taken, some mild and open winter in our 
own latitude, as I. have once already intimated. 
Forty years since, the Purple Finch bred but sparingly in the north- 
ern sections of this state, as is evidenced by the writings of both Audu- 
bon and De Kay. Susan Fenimore Cooper, in her Raval Hours, under 
date of Thursday, May 11th, (1848) says: “A large party of Purple 
Finches also on the lawn ; this handsome bird comes from the far north 
at the approach of severe weather, and winters in different parts of the 
Union, according to the character of the season; usually remaining 
about Philadelphia and New York until the middle of May. Some few, 
however, are known to pass the summer in our northern counties ; and 
we find that a certain number also remain about our own lake, (Otsego) 
having frequently met them in the woods, and occasionally observed 
them about the village gardens in June and July. * * * * They 
feed in spring upon the blossoms of flowering trees ; but this afternoon 
they were eating the seeds out of decayed apples scattered about the 
orchards." Referring to the nests about the door-yards and streets of 
the village,—presumably Cooperstown,—the same author, writing Feb- 
ruary 22nd, 1849, says: ‘This last summer it looked very much as 
though we had also Purple Finches in the village ; no nest was found, 
but the birds were repeatedly seen on the garden fences, near the same 
spot, at a time when they must have had young.” 
