198 PINE GROSBEAK. 



are not often seen far from coniferous trees. Their sin- 

 gular bill might, at first glance, be considered misshapen, 

 but if you will watch a Crossbill push his crossed mandi- 

 bles beneath the scale of a pine cone, and with a quick 

 twist force it off and secure the seed at its base, you will 

 readily admit that for the bird's purposes his bill could 

 not be easily improved. 



In hunting for Crossbills it is a good plan to look 

 through the woods for falling scales of pine cones, and 

 when you see a shower of them whirling softly down- 

 ward it behooves you to learn the cause of their descent. 

 The birds often follow them to the ground, to secure the 

 seeds which have dropped there. 



Crossbills fly in compact flocks, and often utter a 

 sharp, clicking note while on the wing. Their song is 

 sweet and varied but not loud. 



Pine Grosbeaks are among our rarer whiter visit- 

 ants. They come as far south as Massachusetts in vary- 

 Fine Grosbeak, ing numbers, and occasionally reach 

 Fiiiicoia eniideator. Connecticut, but south of this point 

 Plate LI. j^j.g q£ very infrequent occurrence. At 



irregular intervals Pine Grosbeaks become abundant dur- 

 ing the winter in New England, when, liecause of their 

 size, they attract general attention. They usually resort 

 to coniferous trees, upon the seeds of which they feed, 

 but they also eat berries and buds, and are said to be espe- 

 cially fond of the fruit of the staghorn sumach. 



No one seeing the Goldfinch or Yellowbird in his 



summer costume of gold and black would imagine that so 



Goldfinch dainty a creature could brave the storms 



Sphiustristis. of winter; but late in the season, when 

 Plate Lii. |-^^g home life is ended, he changes the 



gay wedding dress for a plainer suit, and joins the ranks 

 of winter birds. 



I wish that every one knew the Goldfinch. His gen- 



