March, 1884.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



33 



they make this with their -wings'? They 

 were very fat and most of the specimens 

 shot were in various stages of moulting. 



I saw these birds last winter also, but 

 in comparatively small numbers, nor were 

 there any red males among them. Have 

 you heard of them in any other part of 

 the country as far south ? 



I send you these few facts as I find very 

 little in ornithological works in reference 

 to these birds — P. S. W., Southboro', 

 Worcester Co., JUass. 



The Pine Grosbeak appears to have 

 been uncommon])' i:>lentiful throughout 

 New England this season, probably owing 

 to the severe winter which has been ex- 

 perienced in the northern sections. Our 

 correspondent (C/ias. G. Richards, JYor- 

 wich, Conn.,) reports seeing them in large 

 flocks, and we have received numerous 

 letters to the same effect from other 

 quarters. In severe winters they are occa- 

 sionally found even as far south as Penn- 

 sylvania, but we have no report of their 

 having been seen there so far this season. 



We have been a little surprised to notice 

 that many of oirr Collectors seem to have 

 failed to identify these birds. For the in- 

 formation of any who may yet have to make 

 their acquaintance, we subjoin brief des- 

 scriptions of specimens taken this month 

 (February) within a hundred yards of our 

 office. 



Male. Length about 8^ inches, rather 

 thickset. Upper mandible extending over 

 the lower one and slightly hooked. General 

 color carmine-red, brightest on head and 

 base of tail. Wings a brownish-drab with 

 two white bands. Lower edges of quills 

 white. Iris hazel. Very similar in appear- 

 ance to the Purple Finch (Carpddacus 

 purpureus.) In its summer plumage the 

 bird is probably far brighter. Female. 

 Same size as the male. Color Ashy-brown, 

 or Drab. Back of head and base of tail 

 tinted with a yellowish-brown. — F. B. W. 



A Winter Tramp. 



A pleasant morning was February 2. 

 Having had no chance previously to find 

 what this winter was giving us in bird life, 

 I determined to improve the day. Making 

 an early start, the first that greeted me 

 was a group of Chickadees clustered on a 

 bunch of bayberry bushes, and above 

 them a Downy Woodpecker thumping 

 away on an old birch stub. A little farther 

 on, in crossing a piece of stubble, I came 

 on to a flock of Goldfinches, and with them 

 I noticed some Golden-crowned Kinglets. 

 A few Crows flew over, and up from the 

 swamp came the noisj r chatter of Blue Jays. 

 Passing bj r a small grove of pines, several 

 Golden-winged Woodpeckers flit away 

 from their warm retreat. Just beyond, a 

 flock of Pine Grosbeaks spring up from 

 the ground and alight in a large tree — just 

 what I have been looking for. A handsome 

 male is conspicuous among his more mod- 

 estly dressed companions, and I cover him 

 with the sight of my little cane gun. He 

 tumbles at the report and I consign him to 

 the basket. 



This is the first male I have seen this 

 season in the red plumage, the grey and 

 green female and young being much more 

 common. Half an hour's walk more and I 

 arrive at the salt water cove known as 

 "hundred acres'" Nothing is seen at first, 

 but during lunch three Gulls come sailing 

 over the cove, and my field-glass tells me 

 one is a Black backed gull, a rather un- 

 common winter visitor. About as I turn 

 to leave, a flock of Long-tail Duck sail over 

 the top of a projecting bluff and alight 

 close to the opposite shore. On my return 

 walk I flush a Buffed Grouse. He swiftly 

 whirrs away to the friendly cover of a 

 cedar thicket — p oor fellow, he has escaped 

 the onslaught of the ojien season, let him 

 enjoy his well earned rest. 



As I hear home I make a detour to go 

 through an old orchard. In a large hollow 

 tree I find the wings and tail feathers of a 



