1391] MARYLAND ACADEMY Or SCIENCES. 123 



the 5th of that month is the latest date at which the writer has 

 seen specimens. Those have always occurred to us in woods, where 

 it frequents the tops of trees much after the manner of the other 

 tanager. Its song possesses some peculiarly strange notes, which 

 attracted my attention before the bird had ever been within 

 reach of my sight. 



Spinus tristis (Linn.). American Goldfinch. 



This one of our resident birds is common alike in summer 

 and winter, nor did I ever notice that during the time of migra- 

 tion their numbers were greatly increased, as is the case with 

 many of our other birds. The species almost always collects in 

 flocks, especially during the colder season, when it often accom- 

 panies the snowbird, and other sparrows in running over the 

 ground after food, or in hanging to stalks of weeds while search- 

 ing for seeds. In winter it shows a decided fondness for the 

 fruits of the common alder. When on the tree, the individuals 

 sit so close together that at one time, much to my regret and sur- 

 prise, at a single discharge of my gun, five birds fell to the 

 ground, notwithstanding the fact that my gun was charged with 

 only a very small load of shot. It flies very singularly, in 

 curved, or more correctly, undulating lines, up and down, every 

 now and then uttering its well-known notes, which sound like 

 " Doo-i," the syllable " i " being accented. 



The nest is cup-shaped, very neat looking, and placed not far 

 from the ground on a small tree. The eggs are usually five in 

 number, and of a whitish color. 



The plumage of the male, as is well known, undergoes consid- 

 erable change early in the fall, notably in September. Several 

 names have also been applied to the bird, such as Thistlebird 

 and Yellowbird, but " Wild Canary " is the one under which it 

 is best known by our farmers and other people. 



Pooeaetes gramineus (Gmel.). Vesper Sparrow. 



The " Grass Sparrow/' as this species is commonly called, has 

 been observed by the writer from early in March (3d) through 



