200 General Notes. [^"^ 



any other family of birds, eleven species occurring here during the winter 

 months, in greater or lesser numbers, being sometimes plentiful and even 

 abundant and in other years rare. 



The 3-ear 1901 has brought several surprises, the regular winter birds 

 having been rather scarce, while two species which do not ordinarily occur 

 here till late in March, and another noc till mid May, have been more 

 plentiful than any of the regular winter birds, except probably the Black- 

 capped Chickadee and Red-breasted Nuthatch. 



Pinicola enucleator. Pine Grosbeak. — This is a rare summer resident 

 as far south as Fredericton, N. B. They come south in autumn in flocks 

 varying in number from three or four to fifty. By people little acquainted 

 with birds they are often mistaken for the Robin. In fact, they have been 

 called 'Winter Robins' by some ornithologists. 



Their habit of living in summer in coniferous forests, generally far 

 from the haunts of man, causes them to have little fear of him when they 

 come south, and one may approach quite closely to examine them. When 

 they are feeding one may often get quite up to the tree in which they are 

 resting. 



Their food in winter consists of almost any of the persistent fruits. 

 A favorite food is the seeds of the ground ash, which the^' pick from the 

 trees and even from the ground where they have been blown bv heavy 

 winds. This winged fruit they dissect, taking only the meat. Small 

 apples are also eaten. At times the pulp is cast away and only the seeds 

 eaten, and again their crops have been found to contain the pulp. 



They also feed upon the fruit of the sumach. Their never failing diet is 

 the tips of fir twigs, the buds which produce the next season's growth. 

 These are bitten off, and to reach them the birds at times hang nearly up 

 side down, as the lithe limbs bend with the weight of the birds. When 

 this food has been eaten the bill is covered with balsam. Elm buds also 

 are eaten after they begin to swell in spring. 



The flight of the Pine Grosbeak is slightly undulating, and \.hen on the 

 wing they often give forth a soft loud whistle by imitating which they 

 may be induced to alight nearby. 



Some ornithologists claim that this species nests far north, and so early 

 in spring that the eggs are laid before the snow has gone. This may be 

 true, but it is also true that they breed in New Brunswick in the month 

 of July. 



Carpodacus purpureus. Purple Finch. — This species is in appearance 

 a small edition of the Pine Grosbeak. The males very much resemble 

 each other in color, but the females and young of the Purple Finch lack 

 the yellowish breast and rvmip of the Pine Grosbeak. The earliest record 

 the writer has for the arrival of this species from the south is February 

 5, 1901, which is fully seven weeks earlier than is usual for the spring 

 migrants to arrive. Even at this early date they were singing, but the 

 song lacked the energy that is given it during the nuptial season. The 

 song of the young male is not so rich as that of the adult, consisting of a 



