Notes from Field and Study 



127 



called more and sometimes warbled 

 quietly. I have seen them often since, the 

 last time being March 28, and, lately, 

 I found the flock divided into all gray 

 in one part, and adult males with three 

 or four gray ones in the other, the two 

 divisions feeding a quarter of a mile or 

 so apart in the same wood. In the after- 

 noons I could only find the gray ones. 

 March 27 and 28, I found only the division 

 of adult males and the three or four 

 gray ones, and, the weather being mild, 

 they called loudly, but did not sing. Their 

 food, as far as I could see, consisted of 

 maple seeds and larch tree buds. 



This March, I also have seen several 

 White-winged Crossbills, and I found 

 them tamer than the Evening Grosbeaks. 

 — Anne H. Whiting, Lanesborough, 

 Mass. 



The Evening Grosbeak in Wisconsin 



While the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is 

 well and favorably known to most bird- 

 lovers, its Canadian cousin, the Evening 

 Grosbeak, is a comparative stranger to 

 many, even in the northern part of the 

 United States. 



Such, at least, had been my experience 

 until the last winter, when a flock of more 

 than one hundred of these splendid 

 creatures visited our city. To what dis- 

 turbances in their northern home we were 

 indebted for their presence, I cannot 

 tell, but certain it is they arrived early 

 in February and prolonged their stay past 

 the middle of March. For a few weeks 

 after their arrival, the Grosbeaks traveled 

 about the city together, sometimes filling 

 an entire bare tree with their brilliant 

 colors. 



My first view of the visitors was ob- 

 tained one bright day during the last 

 week in February. And such a view it has 

 rarely been my privilege to have! Opening 

 an outside door, my attention was arrested 

 by a distinct munching sound. It came 

 from a small box-elder tree, some sixty 

 feet from the house. There, perched on 

 the limbs, and hopping on the ground 

 below, were the Grosbeaks, industriously 



gleaning their noonday meal from the 

 dry seed-pods hanging on the tree. 



I strolled out under the tree, no attention 

 being paid to my presence, and I had 

 unlimited opportunity to study the 

 strangers at close range. 



Finally, one flew away to a large tree 

 across the street, and, after I had examined 

 it for a minute or two, gave a clear chirp. 

 At once the entire flock took wing and 

 joined him, to finish their meal on maple 

 seeds. 



They seemed to feel little fear of man, 

 and were reported as feeding with Pigeons 

 and chickens on very sociable terms. 



The children in our school were en- 

 couraged to feed them, and their interest 

 may have helped to prolong their stay. 



Whenever the Evening Grosbeaks 

 choose again to include Wisconsin in 

 their itinerary, they may be sure of an 

 enthusiastic welcome in our city, from 

 all who made their acquaintance. — Ger- 

 trude M. Titus, Fond dii Lac, Wis. 



( \RIilN.A.L 



The Ipswich Cardinal 



The Cardinal, of which mention was 

 made in the March number of Bird-Lore 

 as being in Ipswich in January is still 

 at the same farm, and has been a constant 

 resident there. As the warmer days ap- 

 proach, he is beginning to sing a little, and 

 is making trips of a day or two duration 

 away from the clump of spruce trees to 

 which he has constantly held fast through 

 the winter. The accompanying photo- 

 graph was taken of him at his feeding- 



