AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



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from it they would not touch the same species, but would feed exclusively 

 on some other. This would apply to individual trees of the same species. 

 Two apple trees, side by side in my yard, were frequented by many birds, 

 one a sweeting; they feasted on its buds. The other a Gravenstine, with 

 much larger buds, they seldom touched. Maple and ash buds seemed to be 

 a favorite food with them, as were also the seeds of white and yellow pine. 



Many thought that their extensive budding of fruit and shade trees would 

 do a great deal of harm, but I have yet to learn of any amount of damage 

 being done to any of them. Perhaps it was a benefit, for in their budding 

 of the trees they saved the labor of thinning the fruit. 



At any rate, they are and always will be a welcome visitor to me, and I 

 only wish they would come our way more frequently than they do at present. 

 They are such a cheery sight in our yards during the long, cold New Eng- 

 land winters. 



Pine Grosbeaks. 



