292 NOTES ON THE 
They were exceedingly unsuspicious and tame. Others 
were subsequently secured, by nearly every birdist in this 
locality, and letters of inquiry came from all sections respect- 
ing them. Following this a period ensued during which for 
several years they were rarely seen, and then only by those — 
who were watching closely for them. Later observations lead 
me to think their lines of migration vary considerably even 
when the seasonal characteristics do not. The earliest of my 
own records of this autumnal arrival is November 9th. Prof. 
©. L. Herrick reported some November 20th. Thir stay 
amongst us is usually quite constant, and in flocks of from 20 
to 60 about equally divided between males and females, with a 
larger preponderence of the young of the year. 
This species has been reported to me from many localities of 
the State at different times. Dr. J. C. Hvoslef, found a large 
flock in Lanesboro, near the southern line which appeared there 
on the 15th of February, although he did not fully identify 
them until the 13th of March, by which time ‘‘they were very 
numerous in all the woods along the Root river in this neigh- 
borhood, and remained till May the 13th when they all left.” 
W. D. Hurlburt, of Rochester, in the southeastern part of 
the State, saw them there some time in March. He says:— 
‘“‘These birds are constantly about our lawns and trees, pick- 
ing buds and feeding on the ground under the fir trees. I 
notice only one note, a peep as from frogs or young chicks.” 
Mr. Edward A. Everett reports them at Waseca February 26th 
to May 12th. 
It seems from all I have seen and what I get from corre- 
spondents throughout the State that there is a longer or 
shorter period of a still more southern migration. 
That occasional individuals linger quite late in the spring is 
evident from my having seen them as late as May 17th, (1876) 
but they usually disappear, some considerably earlier. 
The Evening Grosbeak’s only song in Minnesota yet heard 
is its frog-like peeping which is kept up constantly while feed- 
ing. When perching as they often do on the ridge of build 
ings, and when flying, they are silent. They are exceedingly 
fond of the buds of the box elder (Negurdo), which is a very 
common shade tree with us. 
Their breeding places are in high latitudes to the northwest 
of us principally, except the proper conditions are found by 
altitude in lower latitudes. Its winter distribution is very 
wide, indeed, embracing all the northern states and territories, 
