7*> 



NoUTII .\MI:KI('A\ iurds. 



Sir .Inhn iJicliMidsnn met with n sinulc ^jK'('illU'n i^\' this hinl nvi\v tin* 

 Saskatiht'waii (hiring: his tiist ixiKMlitioii witli Sir .loliii Fijuiklin, hut did not 

 ftfteiwnids nicct with it. lie states lliat it IrcqiuMits the dt'cp recesses of 

 the forests, and tliere siiij^s a dear, mellow, and liannniiiiMis soni,'. 



Nuttall apitears to luive seen little nr nothing' oi' this hird, except in con- 

 fineineiit. Ife desci ihes it as thriving' very well in a caj^'e, and as a melodious 

 and indefatiL^aide warlder, iVe(|Uently ])assini,' the j^reater ]>art of the ni^ht in 

 singing, with irreat variety of tones. It is said, while thus earnestly eiii^'aLjed, 

 to mount on tiptoe, as if seemingly in an ecstasy of enthusiasm and deli;4ht 

 at the unrivalled harniiniy i»f its own voice. These notes, he adds, are 

 wholly warliled, now loud and clear, now with a ciuendous and now with a 

 sprightly air, and finally lower and more pathetic. In Mr. Xuttall's oi»inion 

 it has no sn])erior in song, excejit the Mocking-Iiird. 



^Ir. Say met with these itirds in the spring, <tn the hanks of the ^lissouri, 

 and afterwards, on the ."ith of August, at Pend)ina in the 41>th decree of 

 latitude. 



This bird arrives in Eastern ^lassachusetts about the l.'th of May, and 

 leaves in Septendier. It nests during the tirst week in June. 



Mr. Audulion .states that he has frcM^uently observed this .sjjccies, early in 

 the month of March, in the lower parts of Louisiana, making its way east- 

 Avanband has noticed the same circumstance lx)tli at Henderson, Ky., and at 

 Cincinnati, (). At this })eri«Kl it passes at a considerable lieight in the air. 

 He never saw it in tlie maritime parts of (leorgia or Carolina, l)ut they have 

 been procured in the mountainous parts of those States. On the banks of 

 the Schuylkill, early in May, he has observed this bird feeding (»n the tender 

 buds of the trees. When in Texas, in 18.*»7, Mr. Audubon also found it vt.'ry 

 abundant in April. 



I>r. IJacliman, (pioted by Audubon, states that, having slightly wounded a 

 beautiful male of this species, he kept it three years in confinement. It very 

 soon became quite tame, fed, in an oj)en room, on moistened bread. It was 

 at once reconciled to live in a cage, and fed readily on various kmds of food, 

 but preferred hulian meal and hemp-.seed. It was also very fond of in- 

 sects, and ate grassho])i)ers and crickets with peculiar relish. It watched the 

 Hies with great a]>parent interest, and often snatched at and secured the 

 wasits that ventured within its cane. During briuht moonshinv nights it 

 sang sweetly, but not loudly, remaining in the .same position on its perch. 

 AVhen it sang in the davtime it was in the habit of vibrating its win"j:S, in 

 the manner of the Mocking-Bird. It was a lively and a gentle com])ani(m 

 for three years, Imt suffered from cold in severe wintry weather, and finally 

 died from this cause. It would frequently escape from its cage, and never 

 exhibited the least desire to leave him, but always returned to tlie house at 

 night. It sang about eight weeks, and the rest of the year had only a faint 

 clwrk. 



This Grosbeak builds in low trees on the edge of woods, frecjuently in 



