Vol. XVI 1 1 



I QiKTW^i^i^, Nesfino- Habits of Evenitig Grosbeak. 3^9 



directed me to a tree growing almost in the yard, — a pine ; and, 

 as I watched, the bird descended to her nest, situated on a hori- 

 zontal limb overhanging the road. We had hardly finished watch- 

 ing the pair, the male of which did absolutely no work whatever 

 but whistled peculiar, sharp notes from a tree near, when we no- 

 ticed a similar performance which led us to an immense spruce- 

 tree growing near by, where the female settled upon a nest near 

 the end of a swaying limb. She remained there for some minutes, 

 the male whistling meanwhile and flying about from tree to tree. 

 Then she left and both fed about the vicinity. Many times she 

 returned to the nest, apparently unfreighted, and we left them feed- 

 ing about the trees near by. 



June 2 2. — During the night some mystic power gifted my eyes 

 as well as Olivia's, for every lump on a tree that we looked at to- 

 day turned into a nest and every bird with any pretensions or 

 right tobe breeding offered introduction to its home with implied 

 invitations for future calls. This latter, however, was not neces- 

 sary. 



It began by my supposed Black-headed Grosbeak's nest of the 

 nth turning into that of the Evening Grosbeak, and throughout 

 the morning the pair of birds entertained us royally. The female 

 sat upon the nest, on and off, and during the former periods, the 

 male howled encouragingl}^ near in tones only the avian ear could 

 deem dulce. Then from the nest, with curious, soliciting cries and 

 fluttering wings, like a great overgrown nestling, she followed him 

 about and by the patient bird was regularly fed. He was willing, 

 however, for when I ceased, it was easy to lead her back to the 

 nest, from which he departed to shriek about the neighboring trees 

 when she had settled herself. 



All three Evening Grosbeak's nests are within loo yards of 

 each other, and, since several other pairs are about, we infer that 

 the species breeds gregariously and somewhat uniformly, too. 



After supper, just before dusk, we revisited the scene of the 

 morning's operations to observe the evening attitude of the birds. 

 All the Grosbeaks were silent and apparently absent. 



June 23. — Olivia and I visited again the Vale of Vespertina, as 

 we have named the place where Coccothraustes and so many birds 

 abound, — the slope behind the cabin. I was yet too lamed from 



