34 C. H. Merriam Birds of Connecticut. 



polls or the Pine Finches are common, the Shrikes follow them and 

 prey upon them." During the winters of 1874-5 and 1875-6, when 

 the Red-polls (^Egiothus linarid) and the Pine Finches (Ghrysomitris 

 pimis) were here, Butcher Birds were notably scarce ; while during 

 the past winter (1876-7) Shrikes have been uncommonly plenty, but 

 neither of the other birds were seen at all. It is but fair to state, 

 however, that during the first two winters mentioned neither the 

 Linnets nor Finches were here in large enough numbers to have afforded 

 the Butcher Birds a reliable source of diet. Last winter the English 

 Sparrows supplied all deficiencies and it was no uncommon thing to 

 see a Butcher Bird flying across the street with one in its talons. 

 The " poor sparrows," unused to danger of any sort, were utterly 

 helpless, and at one time it seemed as if we were actually going to be 

 rid of the little pests, but warm weather came to their relief, driving 

 the intruders back to their boreal homes, and now the sparrows are 

 apparently as numerous as ever they were. Mr. Nichols shot one 

 Jan. 13th, 1876, whose stomach contained grasshoppers! Where 

 could it have found them at that season ? 



75. Collurio LlldOVicianuS (Linne) Baird. Loggerhead Shrike. 



A rare visitor from the iSouth and West. Mr. W. W. Coe has a 

 fine specimen of this species in his cabinet, which he shot near Port- 

 land, Conn., in Nov., 1876. Franklin Benner, Esq., writes me that he 

 " saw a Shrike of some species at Mt. Carmel [near New Haven] May 

 24th, 1873," which, if he was not mistaken in the bird, could hardly 

 have been the northern Butcher Bird, and might have been this 

 species. 



Family, FRING-ILLID^E. 



76. PiniCOla enucleator (Linne) Cabanis. Pine Grosbeak. 



An irregular winter visitant. They were here through the months 

 of Feb. and Dec., 1875, and during Jan. and Feb., 1876, but none 

 were seen last winter. Messrs. Coe and Sage, of Portland, Conn., 

 tell me that it is found there regularly every winter, though the red 

 males are not always seen, and that they have observed it as late as 

 March 12th (1873), and as early as Nov. 24th (1875, and 25, 1874). 



77. CarpodaCUS purpureus (Gmelin) Gray. Purple Finch. 



Resident, breeding abundantly. Gregarious. Mr. Grinnell in- 

 forms me that he has taken it during every month of the year. Dr. 



