° 1918 J Norton, Evening Grosbeak in Maine. 177 



for Brunswick, January 20th, five; and February 25th, three." 

 In Portland the first reports came to hand on January 11, 1917 and 

 through that month, February, March and April, flocks of from five 

 to twenty were seen at Cape Elizabeth, Portland, East Deering, 

 Deering Center and Westbrook. 



The writer saw seven in the western cemetery, Portland, May 4 

 and they were said to have been present several days later. At 

 Falmouth Foreside Mr. Walter H. Rich saw an adult male in his 

 garden June 2 at close range, and later in the day it returned with a 

 dull colored companion. None were seen after this date. 



Oxford County. — Mrs. Albert D. Park wrote " I first observed 

 the Evening Grosbeaks November 4th, 1916, [at South Paris] and 

 they have been here all winter. March 26th [1917], I heard them, 

 but as I went away for the week cannot say that they are there 

 now [April 1]." Last fall the largest number seen was thirty- 

 three; later from eight to fifteen." 



York County. — -Mr. John F. Dana of Portland, reported a 

 small flock seen by him in the town of Alfred. 



Gifted with a striking richness of plumage, a phlegmatic disposi- 

 tion in which fear is but poorly developed, having a written history J 

 in which mystery, and romance have been involved, and having 

 invaded a wide territory within a relatively short time, the Even- 

 ing Grosbeak has received much attention wherever it has appeared. 

 Hence it has an extensive, though scattered and fragmentary 

 literature, in which its history, its winter habits, its food prefer- 



1 The bird was first collected by an Indian boy at St. Sault Marie, M.(ichigan) T.(erritory) 

 April 7th, 1823 and sent by H. R. Schoolcraft, an early American scientist, to Wm. Cooper, 

 who described it as new in 1825 (Ann. N. Y. Lye. N. H. 1: pt. ii: 219, 221). It was be- 

 lieved to be crepuscular, remaining in the deep shade of evergreens woods by day, sallying 

 forth with "A singular strain" at twilight: hence the names vespertina, Evening Grosbeak, 

 and Hesperiphona. Audubon's account (Orn. Rio. IV: 575) pertains chiefly to the sub- 

 species long recognized as H. v. montana Ridg. part, probably H. v. californica Grinnell. 

 Rrewer's treatment 1874 (Hist. N. Am. Rds. I: 449), is a history of the entire species as 

 then known. Coues, "History of the Evening Grosbeak," 1879 (Bull. Nutt. Orn. CI. IV: 

 65, 75), is a review of the g3nus Hesperiphona in which of course vespertina is the central 

 figure. Butler's Nqtes on the Evening Grosbeak, 1S92 (Auk, IX: 238, 247), is a review 

 chiefly of H. vespertina vespertina up to the close of the winter of 1889-90. In this paper 

 the geographical features of its migration are predominant. A considerable number of 

 summaries of its local occurrence have appeared in faunal lists and other regional papers. 



Boberts' ' The Evening Grosbeak in Minnesota,' 1910 (Bull. Minn. Acad. Sci. IV: 406, 

 414) is a monographic article of general interest. 



