6 



DPI NCHBS 1 are : so : we;ll:; known 

 - -name applies so 'well' to' their; 

 -color that it would Seem. ;ve'rjf . 

 ssary> to; apply' any other to triem, 

 i- of ten hear them spoken d^A^" 1 

 i \-uia rirs'' becausre o'f their excel- 

 mri -canary-like ;son;, and as" 

 It- Jjirds" because they are s;o of.- 

 nind swaying- on .thistle. h'ia<Is. . 

 s. thoif-full song - ; they utter "' 

 number of very musical, notes, 

 ^feedhrg;, - one ' .often 'calls to an- 

 '^^v^retr S>Veet"' or "dearie, dearie." 

 fligm-is very peculiar B.S their 

 o'n th'e' recovery of tlie stroke are 

 1 so -slowly that "the tody falls a 

 f "more between bents;. They pro- 

 My a Series of bounds, punctuat- 

 ach dip with a cheerily called 



i-kf'd 



s^riesf late; in July" or. Aug-" 

 "a firm cup-shaped struc- 

 g. placed in tip.risht forks, 

 alders. The eggs "are u'n- 

 sh-white; 



character. These birds frequent dry fields in the middle 

 of ~yhieh- they locate tlreir- arched nests. TJiev- are quite 

 shy, : but4f one is.arBied:vvith a good pair of bird glasses^he 

 can get many opportunities of studying -them as they sing 

 their wheezy songs, from the vantage point of a stone wall. 

 In the =sajne fields, we also find the common VESPER 

 SPARROWS, which can, always be recognized by the white 

 outer; tail .featherfi ' :These birds- have a lively -and -attract- 

 ive songj combining parts of /those, of Field and' Son'g' 

 Sparrows. 



During the winter and early spring,- we may find associ- 

 ated . with flocks of our Goldfinches, two other kinds of 

 finches, Pine Siskins: and Redpolls. PINE SISKINS a*e 

 very closely related to: Goldfinches, but are far from being 

 as attractively gowned, when in their :summer plumage. 

 The Siskin plumage is constant at all seasons a striped 

 blackish and buff y^ the only conspicuous markings being 

 a yellow patch at the base of the primaries and yellow bases 

 to_the tail feathers. The markings, however, very rarely 

 can be seen on the. bird while it is feeding in trees above 

 us< - Their call notes and songs are quite* similar to those of 

 the Goldfinch-,: REDPOLLS lare most frequently seen 

 feeding : upon- weed seeds upon the ground or close to 'it. 

 Their : plumage is very light colored and striped; they have 



