v,,i ,,h; XN | Bhrotold, A Study of the Hon., Finch. 49 



noticed showing distinct melanistic phases, one female being almost 

 black above, and not From city soiling, as the bird was still black 

 after bathing: as mentioned below, an albino female has been seen 

 during two succeeding seasons, having returned a second time 

 lo successfully build ;i nest in the locality where first observed. 

 A female with a long decurved upper mandible has been watched 

 through several months. This mandible was shaped very much 

 like thai of u Cross-bill and was probably n<>i deformed through 

 injury as it closed perfectly in apposition to its fellow <>r the 

 miller side, and was perfectly functional. It may well have been 



an example of inula I ion. 



Many characteristics, oilier than physical, of eaeli individual 



c to light as one watches I lie birds at close range. Many females 



are quite lame from I lie ousel , and become Steadily more so, allow- 

 ing one to examine them with a mirror overhead as they are setting, 

 showing no alarm, and even some degree of curio lity. The quarrel- 

 someness of some, and the gentleness of others arc especially 



patent. 'Hie water dishes are as often desired for bathing as for 



drinking, causing as many disputes over the bath privilege ;is the 



birds have o\'er food in the feeding trays. Some are so tame that. 



they come through the open windows into the office during severely 



cold weather, ami perch on (he steam radiator which is ne\l to (he 

 window sill. 



M ITING. 



The writer suspects that this species mates permanently: it is 



apl, in all seasons of the year, to come to the food and drinking 

 disho in pairs. After one licconics well acquainted with this spe- 

 cies, one learns thai a series of indescribable notes and chirrups 



betokens a mated pair, and these notes have been heard many 



times outside the usual mating season, /'. e., in the late fall and 



winter. It is a common thing to see a pair examining nesting boxes, 

 and other eligible nesting sites, in December and January. In i he 

 winter of L906 11)07, a pure albino female Finch was observed on 



tin- writer's home premises, accompanied by a normal male, which 



paid particular attention to the albino, being, without doubt in 

 the writer's judgment, the hitter's mate, notwithstanding die 



di itance of the ordinary season fur pairing and nesting. 



