BIRDS OF MINNESOTA. 293 
but is less common in all save Minnesota, Wisconsin and the 
northern portions of Illinois and Iowa, and some sections of 
the extensive interior table lands of the lower territories. For 
many years Dr. Cooper failed to meet with it on the Pacific 
coast until Mr. F. Gruber, an indomitable collector of San 
Francisco, found a specimen at Michigan bluff, Placer county, 
California. The doctor saw the feathers of one recently 
killed at the summit of the Sierra Nevada, latitude 39°, in 
September, 1863. 
SPECIFIC CHARACTERS. 
Bill yellowish-green, dusky at the base. Anterior half of 
body dark yellowish-olive, shaded in yellow to the rump above, 
and the under tail coverts below. Outer scapulars, a broad 
frontal band continued on each side over the eye, axillaries, 
and middle of under wing coverts, yellow. Feathers along the 
extreme base of the bill, crown, tibiae, wings, upper tail coverts, 
and tail, black; inner greater wing coverts and tertiaries, white. 
Length, 7.80; wing, 4.80; tail, 2.75. 
Habitat, western North America, east to Lake Superior. 
PENICOLA ENUCLEATOR (1L.). (515). 
PINE GROSBEAK. 
Another winter visitant from the colder regions of the north. 
It arrives about the middle of November and remains frequently 
until the 20th and 25th of April. Less of a seed, and more if 
possible of a bud-eater than the Evening Grosbeak, it still con- 
sumes both in enormous quantities. Like the last noted spe 
cies the Pine Grosbeak is an unsuspicious, trustful bird, being 
often caught with a noose slipped over his head, or even in the 
hands, while intently feeding. They are gracefully formed 
and beautifully colored when in mature plumage, and very so- 
cial in an unceasing twitter while feeding. Those who have 
heard them in their breeding places say they have a very sweet, 
soft warble somewhat like the canary. Their call notes are 
quite marked and employed by both sexes. They are usually 
found in small parties during their stay with us, averaging 
perhaps a dozen to fifteen, but occasionally many more, and 
sometimes less. Occasionally individuals of this species have 
been obtained in the vicinity of Fort Snelling for thirty years 
past. Its distribution like the Evening Grosbeak’s is very un- 
equal, and subject to great variation in different years. As the 
country is larger and larger settled and more improved, their 
relative numbers increase. Their presence in winter has been 
