190 WINTER BIRDS ABOUT BOSTON. 



with tall weeds. Hither came flocks of gold- 

 finches, red -poll linnets, and snow buntings; 

 and thither I went to watch them. It hap- 

 pened, I remember, that the last two species, 

 which are not to be met with in this region 

 every season, were unusually abundant during 

 the first or second year of my ornithological 

 enthusiasm. Great was the delight with which 

 I added them to the small but rapidly increas- 

 ing list of my feathered acquaintances. 



The red-polls and the goldfinches often travel 

 together, or at least are often to be found feed- 

 ing in company; and as they resemble each 

 other a good deal in size, general appearance, 

 and ways, the casual observer is very likely not 

 to discriminate between them. Only the sum- 

 mer before the time of which I speak I had 

 spent a vacation at Mount Wachusett ; and a 

 resident of Princeton, noticing my attention to 

 the birds (a taste so peculiar is not easily con- 

 cealed), had one day sought an interview with 

 me to inquire whether the " yellow-bird " did 

 not remain in Massachusetts through the win- 

 ter. I explained that we had two birds which 

 commonly went by that name, and asked 

 whether he meant the one with a black fore- 

 head and black wings and tail. Yes, he said, 

 that was the one. I assured him, of course, 

 that this bird, the goldfinch, did stay with us 



