264 BIRDS OF THE NEW YORK CITY REGION 



Like that species a few stragglers have been reported in "off 

 years/' chiefly at the extreme eastern end of Long Island. 

 The White-winged Crossbill occurred in great numbers in 

 the winter of 1899-1900. There was also a marked southward 

 flight in the winter of 1916-17, but the local crop of cones was 

 particularly low that year, so that while the bird reached 

 Washington, D. C., it skipped this region almost entirely, 

 to the great chagrin of local students. The bird is heard in 

 this vicinity so seldom, that students are not really ac- 

 quainted with its diagnostic notes. Flying high overhead, it is 

 obviously larger than a Siskin or a Redpoll, and the notes are 

 totally different from the Red Crossbill. Its commonest 

 note is a rattle or chatter very like the Redpoll, but much 

 louder, more prolonged, and less hoarse. Another common 

 note is a sweet, whistled twee, sometimes given in couplets, 

 which is very like the familiar Goldfinch call, but it lacks the 

 rising inflection at the end. When a flock is quietly feeding, 

 there is also a note which sounds like a Junco singing very 

 badly and hoarsely. 



Long Island. Very rare and irregular winter visitant, October 

 25 to February 28. Abundant in the winter of 1899-1900. Since 

 then only one lone individual has been recorded from the island, 

 barring stragglers at Orient. 



ORIENT. Rare and irregular winter visitant; October 28, 

 1908 to February 28, 1909. 



New York State. Practically unknown since the winter of 

 1899-1900; reported as early as October 29 at Ossining (Fisher) 

 and as late as May 29, 1900 at Scarboro (Fuertes and Gerald 

 Thayer). Three birds on Staten Island, January to March, 1917 

 (Rogers and others). 



CENTRAL PARK. Not recorded since the winter of 1899- 

 1900. 



BRONX REGION. Common at Riverdale November 3, 

 1874 to May 10, 1875 (Bicknell); a few birds in the Zoological 

 Garden, December 17, 1919 to February 8, 1920 (Lee S. 

 Crandall). 



New Jersey. Almost unknown since the winter of 1899-1900; 

 apparently no records during the winter of 1916-17; a single bird 

 near Plainfield, December 28, 1919 (Miller). 



