C. H. Merriam Birds of Connecticut. 35 



Wood, of East Windsor Hill, tells me that they were almost unknown 

 here twenty years ago, and have gradually become common since. 

 I am likewise informed by Mr. Clark, of Saybrook, that the bird has 

 only recently become a common species in that vicinity. 



78. Loxia leucoptera Gmelin. White- winged Crossbill. 



An irregular winter visitant. They were not uncommon during 

 the months of Jan., Feb. and March, 1875. 



79. Loxia curvirostra, var. Americana (Wilson) Coues. Red Crossbill. 



An irregular winter visitant, like the last, and more frequently seen. 

 Linsley gave it in his list, stating that it had " been repeatedly seen 

 in Trumbull, in this [Fairfield] county, by a Mr. Beers." Mr. W. W. 

 Coe has taken a number of this, as well as the preceding species, 

 about Portland, Conn. A few were seen about New Haven early in 

 Dec., 1876. It has been known to breed near New York City.* 



80. ^Egiothus linaria (Linne) Cabanis. Red-poll Linnet. 



Also an irregular winter visitant. They were quite common here 

 during the month of March, 1875 (and Mr. Sage saw a flock at Port- 

 land, Conn., March 31), but none were seen in the winters of 1875-6 

 and 1876-7. Mr. W. W. Coe took it at Portland, Conn., March 

 22d, 1873, and saw there large flocks of them (including many highly 

 plumaged males) in March, 1875.f 



81. Chrysomitris pinUS (Wilson) Bonaparte. Pine Finch; Pine Linnet. 



An irregular fall and winter visitant. Quite common from Oct., 

 1874, till March, 1875. Also seen in Oct., 1875. Linsley says : "I 

 took one specimen from a large flock, which was here in my yard 

 [Stratford, Conn.] as late as Nov. 7th, 1840." In March and April, 

 1873, I found them extremely abundant near the boundary line 

 between Georgia and South Carolina, notwithstanding the statement, 

 in Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway's great work, that : " according to 

 Dr. Coues, this species occasionally strays as far to the South as the 

 Carolinas, but it is not common there," (p. 481). This case simply 

 affords another example of their irregular migrations. 



* Am. Nat., vol. x, No. 4, p. 237. April, 1876. 

 f MS. notes of W. W. Coe, Esq. 



