26 



hummingbirds pulling the material from the bags. The use of 

 bright-colored yarns seems to attract the birds, although the 

 red yarn apparently is not so much sought after as that of other 

 colors, and sometimes white seems to be preferred to all others; 

 but I have seen an oriole's nest constructed of black horsehair. 

 Nevertheless such experiments as have been recorded seem to 

 indicate that white is preferable. The oriole loves cherries and 

 mulberries, and sometimes when insect food is scarce will come 

 to crumbs of bread, cake and suet. Males of this species, like 

 those of some others, sometimes are attracted to a neighbor- 

 hood where some one who can imitate their notes will take 

 the trouble to answer their calls. 



Evening Grosbeak. 

 This handsome bird is seen here mainly in winter and spring. 

 In Massachusetts it seems to prefer the fruit of the ash-leaved 

 maple, or box elder, so called, to all other food, and the sug- 

 gestion has been made that the planting of these trees across 

 the prairie States to New England has had much to do Avith its 

 movement to this region in winter during recent years. Dr. 

 A. A. Allen writes that at Ithaca, New York, the species 

 seemed to prefer the seeds of the chokecherry. They fed on 

 the dried cherries hanging to the trees. When the snow melted 

 they took the cherry stones from the ground. Berries of the 

 buckthorn, mountain ash, Virginia juniper and sumac, seeds of 

 lilacs, maples, locusts and flowering dogwood, frosted apples, 

 the fruit of the Japanese crab apple, and even suet crumbs and 

 scraps thrown out are sought by this bird when the box elder 

 seeds are gone. This species is fond of sunflower seeds, and 

 flocks have been known to come daily to feed on this seed and 

 to call for it until they were supplied. x4.s spring comes buds 

 of the red maple and other trees are eaten. A pan of water 

 or a bird bath often attracts a flock. 



Pi7ie Grosbeak, 



This fine winter species eats tree buds, also seeds, especially 



those of the white pine, fir, spruce, larch, ash and maple. The 



maple seed is a favorite, and may be gathered before snow flies 



for winter food. It is fond of hempseed and the fruit of the 



