34 C H. Merriam — Birds of Connecticut. 



polls or the Pine Finches are common, the Shrikes follow them and 

 prey upon them." During the winters of 1874-5 and 1875-6, when 

 the lied-polls {u^giothus Unaria) and the Pine Finches {Chrysomltris 

 2n?tf(s) Mere here. Butcher Birds were notably scarce ; while during 

 the past winter (1876-7) Shrikes have been uncommonly plenty, l)ut 

 neither of the other birds were seen at all. It is but fair to state, 

 however, that during the first two winters mentioned neither the 

 Linnets nor Finches were here in large enough numbers to have afforded 

 the Butcher Birds a reliable source of diet. Last winter the English 

 Spari-ows supplied all deficiencies and it was no uncommon thing to 

 see a Butcher Bird flying across the street with one in its talons. 

 The " poor sparrows," unused to danger of any sort, were utterly 

 helpless, and at one time it seemed as if we were actually going to be 

 rid of the little pests, but warm weather came to their relief, driving 

 the intruders back to their boreal homes, and now the sparrows are 

 apparently as numerous as ever they Avere. Mr. Nichols shot one 

 Jan. i;3th, 1876, whose stomach contained grasshoppers! Where 

 could it liave found them at that season '? 



75. Collurio LudOVicianUS (Linnt-) Balrd. Loggerhead Shrike. 



A rare visitor from the South and West. Mr. W. W. C.oe has a 

 fine specimen of this species in his cabinet, which he shot near Port- 

 land, Conn., in Nov., 1876. Fianklin lienner, Esq., writes nie that he 

 "saw a Shrike of some species at Mt. Carmel [near New ILiven] May 

 24th, 1873," which, if he was not mistaken in the bird, couhl hardly 

 have been the northern Butcher Bird, and might have been this 

 species. 



Family, FRING-ILLID^. 



76. Pinicola enncleator (I.inne) Cabanis. Pine Grosbeak. 



An irregular winter visitant. They were here througli the months 

 of Feb. and Dec, 1875, and during Jan. and Feb., 1876, but none 

 were seen last winter. Messrs. Coe and Sage, of Portland, Conn., 

 tell me that it is found there regularly eneri/ vinter, though the red 

 males are not always seen, and tliat they have observed it as late as 

 March 12th (1873), and as early as Nov. 24th (1875, and 25, ls74). 



77. CarpodaCUS purpureus (GmeHn) Gray. Purple Finch. 



Resident, breeding abundantly. Gregarious. Mr. Grinnell in- 

 fornis me that he has taken it during every month of the year. Dr. 



