BIR DS OF PENNSYL VANIA . 225 



black ; secondaries mostly white. Rest of head, neck all around and anterior parts 

 of body, dusky olivaceous, becoming paler behind. Female and young much 

 duller with less yellow, and more brownish-ash ; lower parts very pale, almost white 

 on belly. Length about 8| ; wing about 4^ ; tail 3. 



Habitat. Western North America, east to Lake Superior, and casually to Ohio, 

 Pennsylvania, New York and Ontario ; from the Fur countries south into Mexico. 



The Evening- Grosbeak first made its appearance in Pennsylvania in 

 December last, and during the months of January, February, March 

 and April (1890) scattered individuals or flocks containing from six to 

 twenty or more were frequently seen. From my own personal obser- 

 vations, as well as from reports received through the courtesy of other 

 observers, it appears these birds were quite common in many of the 

 western, northern and central parts of the state, but rare, or not seen at 

 least, in some of the eastern counties from the date of their first appear- 

 ance to the present time (May 15, 1890). Referring to my note-book I 

 find single birds, but mostly small parties, were observed at different 

 periods from December 17 to April 12, inclusive, in the following coun- 

 ties : Erie, Crawford, Warren, Elk, Cameron, Susquehanna, Wyoming, 

 Clinton, Lycoming, Venango, Beaver, Westmoreland, Somerset, Colum- 

 bia, Washington and Lackawanna. Mr. Geo. P. Friant, of Scranton, 

 obtained from a hunter in Wyoming county, in the latter part of April 

 last, a number of these grosbeaks, which were at that time said to be 

 abundant at West Nicholson. The stomach contents of a dozen or more 

 specimens which I examined consisted chiefly of seeds and green-colored 

 vegetable substances, apparently buds. From the Forest and Stream of 

 May 8, 1890, the following article, written May 1, by Mr F. F. Castle- 

 bury, Montoursville, Lycoming county, is taken : " Early in last Jan- 

 uary a friend described to me a flock of strange birds he had seen the 

 day before. From the imperfect description given I concluded they 

 were Snow Buntings, and so paid no further attention to the matter. A 

 few weeks later he killed three of them, and then I saw at once they 

 were unlike any bird I had ever seen here. Upon investigation I found 

 them to be Evening Grosbeaks. They have never before been recorded 

 as appearing east of Ohio, and but seldom east of Lake Superior, but as 

 is well-known, a number of specimens have been taken in this state and 

 in New York during the past winter. The birds, numbering about forty, 

 have kept together in a single flock all through their stay. Their food 

 seems to consist entirely of wild cherry pits. They readily crack the 

 stones with their stout bills, and a flock feeding on these makes a noise 

 resembling a miniature Fourth of July celebration. The male has a 

 loud, clear and beautiful song, while both birds have a peculiar piping 

 whistle, which is apparently used as a call note, and is kept up con- 

 stantly. Two or three weeks, ago the birds became quite uneasy, keep- 

 ing well to the tops of the trees and ranging for miles up and down the 

 river ; but they finally returned to their old haunts, and now seem to 

 15 BIRDS. 



