THE PERCHING BIRDS. 91 



sylvania seem to be favored with this bird as a resi- 

 dent 



Nuttall, writing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says 

 of this bird, 



" Their notes are very similar to those of the Warbling Vireo, but 

 louder and more diversified." 



As I have heard them, singly, in late autumn and 

 even in winter, their singing was as above described, 

 but not so loud as the vireo's song. They always 

 appeared to me to be humming to themselves. 



There are many varieties of the purple finch scat- 

 tered over the West and on the Pacific coast. One 

 of these, called the " Burion," is in some localities as 

 semi-domesticated as the alien sparrow. Dr. Coues 

 remarks, 



" It is a pleasing feature in the dirty Mexican settlements, which, 

 with questionable taste, it selects as its abode, and where the air is 

 vocal all the day long with its delightful melody." 



The Cross-bills, in the Middle States, are occasional 

 visitors in winter and residents of the far north at all 

 times. They are red birds, without being particu- 

 larly bright, and differ in that one has narrow white 

 wing-bands. Their habits generally are the same, and 

 in their south-bound migrations they are associated ; 

 but the white-winged species is less abundant. The 

 common name at once describes the bird's most 

 striking feature, and is the explanation of certain 

 habits that are so very like the parrot's. They are 

 altogether boreal birds, and maintain their reputation 

 as lovers of the northern regions by nesting in winter 

 and migrating northward as soon as the young can fly. 



