SONG BIRDS OF ORCHARD AND WOODLAND. 221 



clear and pure, to which no mere words can do justice. 



When, filled with ecstasy, he mounts in air and hangs with 



flutterino- winos above the tree where sits the one who holds 



his aMections, his efforts far transcend his ordinary tones, 



and a continuous melody Hows forth, until, exhausted with 



his vocal effort, he sinks to the level of his s])ouse in the 



tree to}). This is a musical species, 



for some females sinir, though not 



so well as the males. 



This Finch a})})ears at first sight 



to be destructive, for it devours l)uds 



and the blossoms of api)le, cherry, 



peach, and plum trees, feeding on 



the stamens and pistils. Often I 



have seen a i)arty of these birds 



thus destroying the blossoms of 



apple trees, and scattering the 



snowy petals about in a shower. 



They feed also upon the blossoms 

 of the red maple, the seeds of such 

 trees as the white ash, and the ber- 

 ries of the red cedar, mountain ash, 

 and other trees. But, as with the 

 Grosbeak, the pruning or cutting of 

 buds, blossoms, and seeds of trees 

 is not ordinarily excessive. On the other hand, this bird 

 eats many of the seeds of the most destructive weeds, rag- 

 weed being a favorite. The Purple Finch also destroys 

 manv orchard and woodland caterpillars. It is particularly 

 destructive to plant lice and cankerworms. Its quest of 

 weed seeds is sometimes rewarded by some insects which it 

 finds on the ground, among them ground beetles and })erhaps 

 a few cutworms. 



If a bird of this species is confined in a trap cage in spring, 

 and exposed in a consi)icuous place, most of the Purple 

 Finches in the neighborhood may be trapped. The greater 

 part of the "Linnets" in many localities have been taken in 

 this way, despite the law and its officers, who are on the look- 



Fig. 81. — I'ui'ple Finch, male, 

 about one-half natural size. 



