^'°189o!"] PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 585 



served in the Riding Moiiutains, December, 1884 (Xash). Eed Deer 

 Lake, 1881 (Macouii). Carberry: Common winter visitor (Thompson). 

 Brandon: January 24, 1883, and February 22 (Wood). Shell Eiver: 

 Winter visitor (Calcutt). Qu'Appelle: Common winter visitor ; large 

 flocks seen all winter (Guernsey). Severn House (Murray). 



On November 9, 1882, among the eastern sand hills 1 shot a Pine Gros- 

 beak which had perched on the top of a tall spruce tree ; female ; length 

 OJ, extent 14; gizzard filled with what 1 took for spruce seeds. The 

 bird was uttering a loud whistle from time to time. 



On December G, at the spruce bush, saw several Pine Grosbeaks fly- 

 ing singly or in twos and threes ; they seemed to be feeding on the tops 

 of the poplars. This was about sunset. 



December 7, at the spruce bush in the morning, I shot a Pine Grosbeak, 

 female, and saw a fine red male. 



175. Carpodacus pmpiireus. Purple Fincli. 



latter part of July; doubtless breeds (Coues). Winnipeg: "Pino Finch," 

 summer resident; tolerably common (Hine). Portage la Prairie: 1890; 

 common summer resident; arrives about April 20, departs about Octo- 

 ber 15; contrary to my experience in Ontario, I find that here the full 

 plumaged crimson males are the first to arrive (Nash). Swan Lake 

 House: July 11, 1881 ; doubtless breeding (Macoun). Carlton House: 

 May, 1827 (Richardson). Carberry: Tolerably common in si)ring; in 

 fall at Portage la Praiiie (Thompson). Shell River: 1885, first seen, 

 one male, on April 30; next seen, four, on June 3; a transient visitor, 

 passing north and not remaining any time or breeding (Calcutt). 



On May 14, 1883, I shot an adult male Purple Finch in lull song. 

 Everywhere tinged with crimson except the belly, which was white, and 

 the rump, which was yellow; even the gizzard and all its contents were 

 stained a rich crimson. It had been feeding on poplar catkins. 



176. Loxia curvircstra minor. American Cros.sbill. Red Crossbill. 



Winter visitant; possibly also breeding. Winnipeg: Tolerably com- 

 mon (Iline). Red River Valley: Permanent resident; abundant in any 

 spruce bush (Hunter). Saw one female that was taken at Gladstone 

 in the fall of 1885 (Nash, 1890). Carberry: Winter visitant (Thomp- 

 son). In Minnesota very abundant; breeding; I never saw it out of 

 the pineries (Trippe). 



In Manitoba I failed to detect its presence excepting during the win- 

 ter and spring. It generally appears in the Carberry woods with the 

 snow and thenceforth throughout the winter; it is common wherever 

 there is plenty of spruce and tamarac, for the seeds of these are its 

 favorite food. 



