Chap. 3. 



BIRDS OF VERMONT. 



91 



THE PURPLE LINNET. 



THE PINE GROSBEAK. 



THE COMMON CROSS-BILL. 



its name Tow-hc from the sound of its 

 note, when calling to its mate. It is found 

 in all parts of the United States and Caii- 

 sda, but retires to the southern states to 

 pass the winter. This bird breeds in Ver- 

 mont. Its nest is built upon the ground, 

 and the eggs, from 4 to G, are white, tin- 

 ged with tlesh-color, and spotted witJi 

 reddish brown. 



THE PURPLE LINNET. 



Fringilla jfurpurca. — Gmelin. 



Description. — Head, breast and rump 

 deep rich lake, approaching to crimson, 

 and fading into rose color on the belly ; 

 feathers on the back brownish lake fringed 

 with ash, producing a spotted appearance; 

 vent and under tail coverts white ; wings 

 and tail dusky, edged with reddish white ; 

 bill grayish, dark horn color, having a 

 fringe of cream-colored feathers at the 

 base-; tail forked ; legs and claws brown ; 

 head and neck ratlier large ; outline of 

 each mandible a little conve.x ; nostrils 

 nearly concealed by the feathers. Fcvinic 

 and young brownisii above, and yellowish 

 white beneath, without the crimson. Sec- 

 ond and third primaries longest ; 1st and 

 4th a little shorter. Length 6 inches, 

 epread of the wings 9 inches. 



History. — This beautiful and cheerful 

 little songster arrives from the south 

 about the beginning of April, and contin- 

 ues till October. Althougli the greater 

 part of them proceed still further north to 

 spend the summer, considerable numbers 

 of them are known to rear their young in 

 this state. Their nest is usually built 

 upon a cedar, a fir or other evergreen, 

 and is described by Dr. Brewer as beino- 

 rudely made of grass and weeds, and lined 

 with roots. The eggs are bright emerald 

 green. These birds are often tamed and 

 kept in cages, where they sing very pleas- 

 antly. 



Genus Pyrrhula. — Brisson. 



Generic Characters. — Bill short, robust, 

 thick, conve.\-conic, turgid at the sidus, compress- 

 ed at the point, the upper mandible acute, and ob- 

 viously curved, as well as the inferior more or less ; 

 palate smooth and scooped ; nostrils basal, later- 

 al, rounded and most commonly concealed bv the 

 featliers; tongue thick und somewhat fleshy ; tar- 

 sus shorter than the middle toe, which is united 

 at the base to the outer ; wings rather short ; the 

 3 first primaries graduated, the 4th longest ; tail 

 square or slightly rounded. Female differs consid- 

 erably froEi the raale. They moult g<5nerally 

 twice in a year. 



THE PINE GROSBEAK. 

 Pyrrhula eiiuclcator. — Tem.m. 



Description. — General color red ; 

 wings and tail dark cinereous, wing cov- 

 erts forming two white bands; quills, les- 

 ser coverts and tail-feathers tinged with 

 crimson; under plumage more red than 

 the upper, except the middle of the beliy, 

 vent and tail coverts, whicli are bluish- 

 gray ; bill blackisli brown ; legs black. 

 Tail broad and forked ; 1st quill slightly 

 shorter than the 2d, which hardly exceeds 

 the 3d. Length 11 J, tail 4^-, wing 4§. 

 — Richardson. Lengtli given by Audu- 

 bon, 8^; by Nuttall,°!>. 



History. — The Pine Grosbeak, or Bull 

 Finch, inhabits the northern parts of both 

 continents, and, according to Audubon, 

 is a constant resident in the state of 

 Maine, and to the northward to Hudson's 

 Bay, where it builds its nest upon small 

 trees, and feeds upon the seeds of the 

 white spruce and other trees. Tiiey are 

 seen in most parts of the United States 

 only in the winter. 



Ctenus Loxia. — Brisson. 



Generic Characters. — Bill robust and con- 

 ve.\, with the mandibles crossing each other, and 

 compressed towards the points, which are ex- 

 tended in the form of crescents. Nostrils basal, 

 lateral, rounded, hidden by the advancing hairs of 

 the front. Tongue cartilaginous, short, entire and 

 pointed. Tarsus nearly equal to the middle toe ; 

 toes divided to tlie base ; hind nail largest, much 

 curved. "Wings moderate, 1st and 2d primaries 

 longest. Tail notched. Female and young differ 

 from the adult male. 



THE COxMMON CROSS-BILL, 

 Loxia curvirostra. — Linn. 



Description. — General color dull light 

 red inclining to vermilion, darker on the 

 wings, with quills and tail feathers brown- 

 ish black; lower parts paler, nearly white 

 on the belly ; plumage blended, hni firm ; 

 tail short, small, emarginate. Femalt 

 with the upper parts grayish-brown tinn- 

 ed with green, the rump dull grayish yel- 

 low. Yoinig with the colors duller and 

 more inclining to yellowish green. Length 

 7, spread 10. — .liid. 



History. — ^This species is quite com- 

 mon in this state and to the northward of 

 it, but further south is seldom seen, ex- 

 cept in the winter. It feeds principally 

 upon the seeds of the different kinds of 

 pines and spruces, and its crossed mandi- 

 bles are peculiarly fitted for extracting 

 them from the cones. This bird breeds 

 in Vermout, and its egg was obtained by 



