OF NEW ENGLAND. 177 



June, and as late as the first week in August. The eggs of 

 each set are five or six, average about -63X*50 of an inch, and 

 are faint bluish-white (rarely with a few faint markings?). 



(c). The Goldfinches, perhaps the most- graceful members 

 of their large family, are very common and well-known, and 

 one could hardly select from all the finches, or from all birds, 

 more charming objects of study. They are summer-residents 

 throughout a greater part of the eastern United States, are 

 common in Massachusetts, and are very abundant in (certain 

 parts of) Northern New Hampshire, and probably the whole 

 of northern New England. They are very hardy, and remain 

 in the neighborhood of Boston throughout the year. 



Ornithologists very generally have advanced the theory that 

 those birds who pass the summer in a locality, where the spe- 

 cies which they represent are resident throughout the year, 

 retire in winter to the South, leaving their place to be supplied 

 by others of the same kind from the North. Mr. Maynard, 

 however, ingeniously argues that this is not the case, at least 

 with the Hairy Woodpecker. 53 However the case may be, it is 

 certain that many Goldfinches pass the winter near Boston. 



In those months during which snow generally covers the 

 earth, they wander, usually in small flocks, feeding, as at other 

 times of the year, upon the seeds of pines or weeds, and such 

 suitable things as they can find upon the ground. The males 

 are then in their winter-dress, and do not assume their gay 

 summer-livery until April. In March the " Yellow Birds" be- 

 come rather common, and in April abundant. About the first of 

 May, or even later, they often associate in large companies 

 with the Purple Finches and other members of their family, 

 and frequent orchards and various places where they can pro- 

 cure food from the ground. The song of the male (for the 

 female does not sing) may often be heard at this time, pre- 

 vious to and during which they ramble over open country and 

 cultivated lands, rendered noticeable by the jet black and 

 bright yellow of the gayer sex. These flocks are gradually 



" The Naturalist's Guide," p. 129. 

 13 



