REYES AND WILLIAMS BIRDS OF IOWA. 141 



February, and remains until May; the fall sojourn is from the middle of 

 October to the middle of December. It frequents orchards and open 

 woodland. 



Genus LOXIA Linx.ei s. 

 [B 318, R 172, C 199, U 521.] 

 Loxia curvirostra minor (Brehm.). American Cross-bill. An ir- 

 regular winter visitor. Generally seen from the middle of October un- 

 til the first week in May. At Charles City, during the spring of 1878, 

 it appeared in large numbers, remaining until the end of the first week 

 in May. In July of the same year, a rlock was also noticed in Floyd 



County. 



[B 319. R i73, C 19S, U 522.] 

 Loxia leucoptera Gmel. White-winged Cross-bill. Rare; usually 

 noticed only in mid-winter. 



Genus ACANTHIS Bechstein. 

 [B 320, R 179, C 207, U 528.] 

 Acanthis linaria (Linn.). Red-poll. Winter visitant ; irregular, but 

 usually abundant during its sojourns. In February it has been noticed 

 feeding upon the seeds of the rag-weed (Ambrosia). 



Genus SPINUS Koch. 



[B 313, R 181, C 213, U 529-] 

 Spinus tristis (Linn.). American Goldfinch. Resident; abundant. 

 In winter it frequents the fields and borders of woodland, feeding upon 

 the seeds of the rag-weed. The flocks often contain several hundred 

 birds, but as warm weather approaches their number daily diminishes, 

 until about the middle of June, when there are but few individuals re- 

 maining in the company. It breeds in July and August. 



[B317, R 185, C 212, U 533.] 

 Spinus pinus (Wils.). Pine Siskin. Winter visitant; not common. 



Genus PLECTROPHENAX Stejneger. 

 [B 325, R 1S6, C 219, U 534-] 

 Plectrophenax nivalis (Linn.). Snowrlake. Winter sojourner; con- 

 fined almost exclusively to the fields and prairies. It is quite common 

 in the northern parts of the State; rare in southern portion, where it 

 is seen only during severe winters. 



Genus CALCARIUS Bechstein. 

 [B 326, R 1S7, C 220, U 536.] 

 Calcarius lapponicus (Linn,). Lapland Longspur. Winter visitor; 

 abundant. Associates with Plectrophenax nivalis, and is more com- 

 mon than that species. 



