THE BIRDS OF WAYNE COUNTY. 307 



FAMILY FRINGILLID/E. FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 

 GENUS CARPODACUS KAUP. 



107. Carpodacus purpureus (GMEL.). 

 Purple Finch. 



Apparently very rare, the writer's only records being as follows : Two were seen 

 flying across the Killbu^k Valley, near Wooster, September 25, 1892 ; and four were 

 observed singing in a swamp in about the same locality, on October 2, 1892. 



A single male in the collection of Mr. George Fabcr was said to have teen ob- 

 tained about 1890. 



GENUS ACANTHIS BECHSTEIN. 



108. Acanthis linaria (LINN.). 

 Redpoll. 



A very irregular winter visitor. This species has not been observed by the writer, 

 and the only record available is that furnished by Mr. W. E. Henderson, who with 

 reference to its occurrence writes as follows : 



"In regard to the Redpolls, the date I have marked is February 3, 1890. They 

 were around for a month or so, and were quite abundant. I saw large flocks of sev- 

 eral hundred ; and they used to feed near our house in a field which was grown up 

 with ragveed. I shot a number and carefully identified them at the time. Both in 

 flight and note they resembled the Goldfinch, but could without great difficulty be 

 distinguished." 



GENUS SPINUS KOCH. 



109. Spinus tristis (LINN.). 

 American Goldfinch; Thistle-bird. 



A permanent resident; abundant except in winter. It is more or less gregarious 

 at all times, though perhaps strictly speaking not so during the breeding season, yet 

 small companies of four or five birds have even then been observed. It is present in 

 apparently decreased numbers from about the middle of June until the middle of 

 July, after which time it becomes as abundant as usual. It is very generally distribu- 

 ted, but se.ms during the nesting season to have some preference for the outskirts of 

 towns and the vicinity of rural dwellings. 



It nests commonly in ornamental trees, often in silver maples (Acer saccharinum). 

 A nest found July 27, 1893, was situated in a large thistle near a stream, and among 

 surroundings apparently much more suited to the Indigo Bunting than to the present 

 species. Nest-building is usually begun late in July ; the eggs, commonly five in 

 number, being deposited early in August. 



This species has been observed feeding upon the seeds of the dandelion ( Taraxacum 

 Taraxacum}, wild lettuce (Lactuca Canadensis}, common thistle ( Carduus lanceolatus), 

 rag-weed (Ambrosia artemist'ce folia), milkweed (Asclepias Syriaca) and common beg- 



