OF THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 227 



the ground is still covered with snow. Hence the young being 

 soon set at liberty are often seen in flocks quite early in sum- 

 mer, and sometimes in the fall we hear their rattling call and 

 see them descend from upper air to visit a patch of sunflowers 

 on the seeds of which they feast with evident relish. Early in 

 spring, when food was less abundant, I have seen them 

 alight on the ground and dig .the seeds from a squash which 

 had been left out during the winter. 



Their favorite resorts, however, are the spruce and hemlock 

 trees, whose dark green foliage forms a fine back ground for 

 the rich red color of the male as he swings about in every 

 possible position, searching for food among the cones at the end 

 of the slender branches. 



203. LOXIA LEUCOPTERA Gmel. 522. 

 White-winged Crossbill. 



Wings in both sexes with two conspicuous white bars ; male rosy-red, 

 female brownish-olive, streaked and speckled with dusky, the rump saffron. 

 Length, about 6 ; wing, 3J ; tail, 2J. 



Hab. Northern parts of North America, south into the United States 

 in winter. Breeds from Northern New England northward. 



Nest, similar to the preceding species. 



Eggs, 3 to 4 ; pale blue, dotted toward the larger end with lilac and 

 purple. 



This species resembles the preceding in its habits, but does 

 not appear in such large numbers. They visit the same 

 localities, sometimes in company or again in separate flocks. 

 Both are quite unsuspicious, and when eagerly searching for 

 food among the pine cones they admit of a very near approach 

 without taking alarm. They vary much in plumage with age 

 and sex, but the present species can at all times be identified 

 by the white wing-bars. 



