156 PINE GROSBEAK. 



about Petersburgh, and brought to market in great numbers. It 

 returns to Lapland in spring; is found in Newfoundland; and on 

 the western coast of North America. * 



Were I to reason from analogy, I would say, that from the 

 great resemblance of this bird to the Purple-finch (Fringilla 

 purpurea), it does not attain its full plumage until the second 

 summer; and is subject to considerable change of colour in moult- 

 ing, which may have occasioned all the differences we find con- 

 cerning it in different authors. But this is actually ascertained 

 to be the case; for Mr. Edwards saw two of these birds alive 

 in London, in cages; the person in whose custody they were, 

 said they came from Norway; that they had moulted their fea- 

 thers, and were not afterwards so beautiful as they were at first. 

 One of them, he says, was coloured very much like the Green- 

 finch (Loxia Chloris). The Purple-finch, though much smaller, 

 has the rump, head, back and breast nearly of the same colour 

 as the Pine Grosbeak, feeds in the same manner, on the same 

 food, and is also subject to like changes of colour. 



Since writing the above I have kept one of these Pine Gros- 

 beaks, a male, for more than half a year. In the month of Au- 

 gust those parts of the plumage which were red became of a 

 greenish yellow, and continue so still. In May and June its 

 song, though not so loud as some birds of its size, was extremely 

 clear, mellow and sweet. It would warble out this for a whole 

 morning together, and acquired several of the notes of a Red- 

 bird (L. cardinalis), that hung near it. It is exceedingly tame 

 and familiar, and when it wants food or water utters a continu- 

 al melancholy and anxious note. It was caught in winter near 

 the North river, thirty or forty miles above New York. 



* Pennant. 



