176 LAND-BIRDS. 



Essentially like MINOR, but with white wingJ)ars, and a much 

 rosier hue in the male. 



b. An egg described by Dr. Brewer " is pale blue, the 

 large end rather thickly spattered with fine dots of black and 

 ashy lilac ; is regularly or rather slightly elongate-oval, the 

 small end rather obtuse. It measures .80 of an inch in length 

 by .56 in breadth." 



c. The White-winged Crossbills are much rarer here than 

 the Red Crossbills, since they habitually reside in more north- 

 ern countries, though, indeed, on the authority of Mr. Deane 

 and Mr. Brewster said to be " common at Umbagog in June, 

 1870, and at Franconia in summer." 63 They are seldom seen 

 in Massachusetts, though occasionally common in winter, and 

 known to migrate much further to the southward. So far as I 

 have had opportunities to observe, they resemble closely in 

 their habits the other species, feeding chiefly upon the seeds of 

 our evergreens, both obtaining these and climbing dexterously, 

 and sometimes seeking food upon the ground, having a par- 

 tiality for saline matter. Mr. Maynard says that they feed 

 " upon the seeds of beach-grass," " at Ipswich, Massachusetts," 

 and that he " obtained a specimen on June 13, 1866, which 

 was shot on an apple tree in Newton ville," * and was " filled 

 with canker-worms." 64 This, says Mr. Allen, was "a male in 

 fine breeding plumage," and therefore it is possible that these 

 birds may occasionally breed in this State, though at the same 

 time it is possible that the specimen in question may have 

 wandered from the north, having previously reared his young 

 in April or May. Instances of equally strange freaks among 

 birds have been known to occur, such as wandering more than 

 a thousand miles from a regular habitat. It is to be remarked 

 that these instances take place almost wholly at the time of 

 the migrations in autumn or early winter. 65 



63 C. J. Maynard, 55th species (p. 16, for there are no good reasons for sus- 



pamphlet), Birds of Coos Co., N. H., peering that the White-winged Crossbill 



etc. ever breeds in Massachusetts. W. B. 



* This species is rarely found in east- M The Naturalist's Guide, pp. 1 1 1-1 12. 



ern Massachusetts, or indeed anywhere 65 For example, the occurrence in 



in southern New England, after June 1. Massachusetts of the Varied Thrush, 



The bird taken by Mr. Maynard was Lark Finch, and Gray King-bird, 

 doubtless merely a belated straggler, 



