232 IT. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 2,17 



Early in April pine grosbeaks were commonly seen feeding in wil- 

 lows. The small groups included some pairs, for the bright rosy males 

 were conspicuous. Some males with very little pink could not be 

 distinguished in coloration from females. Both sexes were singing, 

 as some female specimens were collected while singing. 



Of the specimens collected, those taken, at the end of April had 

 testes of the largest size and their plumage was the deepest red. 

 The males were then exhibiting themselves most conspicuously, so 

 that nesting was probably in progress. Even in April, the feathers 

 of specimens were loose and in June could scarcely be kept on the 

 skin. Apparently moulting followed soon after the early nesting 

 date. 



Pine grosbeaks and willow-ptarmigan, both of which feed on wil- 

 lows in the Arctic spring, are commonly lean birds. The grosbeaks 

 were the only species of Fringillidae at Old Crow which commonly 

 had very little fat. At the same season the migrating snow buntings, 

 which feed upon seeds of annual plants, and the resident cross-bills, 

 which feed upon spruce cones, presumably eating their seeds, were 

 fat. The resident waxwings also were fat. 



The Indian name for the pine grosbeak is Teevay. 



Acanthis hornemanni exilipes (Coues) 



Males Females 



Bate 

 Apr. 19 



Weight 



(g.) 



14.6 



Fat 

 F 



TesUa 

 (mm.) 

 3x4, 3x3 



Weight 



to.) 



Fat 



Eggs 

 (mm.) 



May 1 



13.3 



VLF 



5x6, 5x5 









May 16 



13.3 



MF 



6x6.5 



12.5 



MF 





May 18 



14.3 

 13.3 



LF 



NF 



5x6.5, 4x6.5 

 5x6.4, 4x4.5 









May 22 



13.4 



LF 



6.5x7, 4.5x6 









May 24 



13.4 



VLF 



6x8, 6x7 



13.6 



F 



0.75 



June 6 



13.9 



MF 



5.5x6, 6x6 









June 7 



12.6 



LF 



4.5x5, 5x5.5 









June 12 



13.1 



LF 



6x6, 5x5.5 



12.0 



NF 



2 



June 12 



14.0 



NF 



5x6, 5.5x5.5 









(aver.) 13.6 12.7 



During April small groups of redpolls were occasionally seen. They 

 moved so restlessly that few of them could be identified, but those 

 which could be seen were thought to be hoary redpolls. The Indians 

 consider redpolls winter birds, and no increase in numbers sug- 

 gesting migration was noticed until after May 20, when the first 

 common redpolls were remarked. Hoary redpolls as well then be- 

 came more conspicuous, but it appeared that the increase in num- 

 bers was temporary, as if a small migratory flight passed through. 



No flocks of more than ten redpolls were seen, and the numbers 

 were few in comparison with the great numbers visibly migrating in 

 spring and nesting in summer on the tundra in the central part of 



