252 



NEW ENGLAND F.VRMER. 



June 



taken from the hranch of a pear tree, about fif- 

 teen feet from the ground. The bottom and out- 

 side of the nest was composed of small twigs, tak- 

 en from the larch and honeysuckle, of three or four 

 inches in length. These small portions of the end 

 of the branches were gathered })y the female bird, 

 by breaking them off Avith her bill, of a suitalile 

 length to form the bottom and sifles of her nest. 

 Upon this loose and open frame work, was laid a 

 close and compact nest, made from small fibrous 

 roots and strips of bark taken from a grapevine — 

 The inside was well lined with pieces of thread, 

 wool and hair, and contained four bright emerald 

 green eggs, marked at the larger end, with small, 

 black, unequal dots and blotches of dark purple. 

 The internal width of the nest was two inches and 

 a half, depth one inch and a half. 



Mr. Audubon, in the 3d vol. of his "Birds of 

 America," New York octavo edition of 1841, page 

 172, makes mention of receiving a communication 

 from a friend well known as a distinguished Or- 

 nithologist, upon the habits of the Purple Finch. 



In this communication to Mr. Audubon he says, 

 "I have had the good fortune to meet with its 

 nest this season. Mr. Gabot found another, and 

 is probably the first naturalist who has done so. 

 The nest which I found, was built in a cedar tree, 

 at the distance of five feet from the ground. The 

 tree stood by itself in a small pasture, which was 

 sparingly covered with half-grown cedars. The 

 nest itself was rudely constructed ; it was com- 

 posed externally of coarse grass and weeds, lined 

 with fine roots of the same, and little care seemed 

 to have been bestowed on its completion. The di- 

 ameter of the exterior was 7iine inches, the brim 

 three inches, the depth oneinch, the external depth 

 two inches, giving it thus a shallow or flattish 

 appearance. The eggs, four in number, were of 

 a bright emerald green." It is evident that Mr. 

 Audubon's Boston friend has made a mistake, in 

 the measurement of the nest of the Purple Finch, 

 and in the description of its eggs, or what is more 

 probable, the errors have occurred by the careless- 

 ness of the printer. From a conversation we once 

 had with Mr. Audubon, we are inclined to believe 

 that many errors exist in the writings of our Or- 

 nithologists on the subjects of nests and eggs of 

 our birds. 



The claims of American Linnet or Purple Finch, 

 to the protection of the horticulturist, we will now 

 consider — and we are sorry liere to be compelled to 

 observe, that this l.)eautiful and interesting strang- 

 er, upon a more intimate acquaintance, indulges 

 in occasional habits tliat arc calculated to provoke 

 the cultivator of fruit, and to render him obnox- 

 ious. We Iiere allude to the mischief occasioned 

 by these l>irds in spring, by eating the expanding 

 buds of fruit trees. But this hal)it of the Finches 

 is, so far as we can learn, as we have before no- 

 ticed, only occasional . The buds of the elm , being 

 more sweet and mucilaginous, are preferred, and 

 constitute their pnucipal food in spring. IIow 

 extensive the injui-y sometimes produced by these 

 birds may have I>een, we do not know, but we 

 presume it is not great. We have never heard any 

 complaint of this sort, from cultivators in this vi- 

 cinity. Tlicir food, in summer, consists principal- 

 ly of insects, and in Autumn, when tliese fail, 

 they subsist on juicy berries, as those of the honey- 

 suckle. May we not claim for this fine bird tlie 

 protection of horticulturists? Those persons, who 



derive pleasure in the cultivation of extensive gar- 

 dens, and love and seek the companionship of birds, 

 may do much to allure them from their woody 

 haunts, to the cultivated grounds and abodes of 

 men. Tiiiswe may eflect by the introduction and 

 cultivation of the diflerent varieties of forest and 

 ornamental trees and shrubs, in our grounds, par- 

 ticularly evergreens. There is a constant and nat- 

 ural tendency in some of our birds, to become at- 

 tached to peculiar kinds of trees and shrubs, usual- 

 ly found in tlie woods, in consequence of their af- 

 fording them food and shelter, or in lieing those 

 usually selected, in which to build their nests, and 

 rear their young. When tliose favorite trees of 

 particular birds arc removed to our cultivated 

 grounds, they are not unfrequently followed by 

 the feathered tribes. In this connection we would 

 notice, at long intervals, the visits to our gardens, 

 of that most interesting bird, the Wood Thrush. 

 But we can hardly suppose that this eminent 

 songster of the wood, with all his shyness and love 

 of the deep forest shade, will ever become an in- 

 mate of our gardens. And for the purpose of di- 

 recting the attention of farmers to this bird, who 

 never interferes with their crops, we will quote the 

 description given by Mr. Audubon of its note. 



"The song of the Wood Thrush, although com- 

 posed of but few notes, is so powerful, distinct, 

 clear and mellow, that it is impossible for any per- 

 son to hear it, without being struck by the effect 

 which it produces on the mind. How often, as 

 the first glimpses of morning gleamed doubtfully 

 amongst the cluskj' masses of the forest trees, has 

 there come ujton my ear, thrilling along the sen- 

 sitive cords which connect that organ with -the 

 heart, the delightful music of this harbinger of 

 day ! The musical powers of this hermit of the 

 woods must be hoard to be fully appreciated and 

 enjoyed." 



There is a more common species of Thrush found 

 in our woods,which is sometimes mistaken for the 

 Wood Thrush. This bird is Wilson's Thrush or 

 Veery. Its song, although resembling that of the 

 Wood Thrush, is less powerful, but is nevertheless 

 extremely pleasing. Wilson's Thrush, like its 

 near neighbor, the Cat Bird, is frequently in the 

 habit of leaving its haunts in the woods, to take 

 up its summer residence in our gardens, providing 

 it can be accommodated with shelter and shade, 

 wherein to conceal itself. The plaintive note ot 

 this Thrush is sometimes heard in a summer eve- 

 ning, after the close of day, and from this pleasing 

 habit of serenading, it has been called the Night- 

 ingale. The food of this specie^, consist of vari- 

 ous kinds of insects and worms. 



We have been sorry to notice this spring (April 

 25, since the above article was written) the Purple 

 Finch feeding upon the flower buds of the pear 

 tree, after the buds of the Elm had expanded into 

 (lowers. s. p. f. 



Danversport, Dec. 27, 1850. 



Remarks. — This letter closes the pleasant and 

 instructive series upon the "past and present his- 

 tory of the Birds of New England." They have 

 gratified a large class of our readers, tiiosc who 

 love the ways of nature, and have been extensively 

 circulated in other journals. Mr. Fowler does 

 not love nature by halves ; the plants and flowers 

 have their attractions for him, too, — and although 



