240 LAND-BIRDS. 



curred both in New York and New Brunswick. Mr. Herrick, 

 in his " Partial Catalogue of the Birds of Grand Menan," an 

 island off the coast of the latter country, says that " in the 

 spring of 1861, Mr. Cheney shot a fine <$ specimen and sent it 

 to G. A. Boardman, Esq., in whose cabinet it now is." This 

 specimen has been spoken of as having been obtained in Maine, 

 which I suppose to be an error. 95 The Blue Grosbeaks are 

 probably closely allied to the Indigo Birds otherwise than 

 merely by their coloration and structure ; but I can ascertain 

 but little about their habits. " They are," says Wilson, " timid 

 birds, watchful, silent, and active," feeding " on hemp seed, 

 millet, and the kernels of several kinds of berries." 



d. " Their most common note is a loud chuck ; they have 

 also at times a few low sweet toned notes." Their song is 

 elsewhere described " as a rapid, intricate warble, like that 

 of the Indigo Bird, though stronger and louder." They also 

 sing at night. 



XXTT. HABIA. 



A. LUDOVICIANA. P.ose-breasted Grosbeak. A common 

 summer resident in Massachusetts, though still scarce in many 

 places.* 



a. About eight inches long. $ , with the upper parts, 

 whole head and neck, black. Rump and under parts, white. 

 A large patch on the breast, and also the fore part of the wing 

 inside, bright carmine. Wings and tail, black, marked conspic- 

 uously with white. , with no white on the rump or tail, and 

 but little on the wings, and with none of the male's carmine, 

 that on the wings being replaced by saffron, which sometimes 

 tints the breast. Upper parts, flaxen brown, and under parts, 

 white, dark-streaked, most thickly above, and most finely upon 

 the crown. Eye-stripe, dark ; line below, superciliary stripe, 

 and median line, dull white. Wings and tail, plain. 



96 I have since learned that I am * This Grosbeak breeds throughout 



probably mistaken about the occurrence New England, and in most localities is 



of this bird in New England, since Mr. a common summer bird, but it is rare 



Boardman (Proc. B. S. N. JET., IX, p. in some sections and does not seem 



127) speaks of it as " very uncertain " to occur at all on Cape Cod. W. B. 

 at Calais, Maine, though " common in 

 the spring of 1861." 



