PINE GROSBEAK. 415 
of the great Gulf, rivetted me to the spot, and the longer I gazed, the 
more I wished to remain; but darkness was suddenly produced by the 
advance of a mass of damp fog, the bird ceased its song, and all around 
seemed transformed into chaos. Silently I groped my way to the beach, 
and soon reached the Ripley. 
The young gentlemen of my party, accompanied by my son Jonn 
Woopnowsr, and a Newfoundland Indian, had gone into the interior in 
search of Rein Deer, but returned the following afternoon, having found 
the flies and musquitoes intolerable. Myson brought a number of Pine 
Grosbeaks, of different sexes, young and adult, but all the latter in 
moult, and patched with dark red, ash, black and white. It was curious 
to see how covered with sores the legs of the old birds of both sexes 
were. ‘These sores or excrescences are, I believe, produced by the 
resinous matter of the fir-trees on which they obtain their food. Some 
specimens had the hinder part of the tarsi more than double the usual 
size, the excrescences could not be removed by the hand, and I was 
surprised that the birds had not found means of ridding themselves of 
such an.inconvenience. One of the figures in my plate represents the 
form of these sores. 
I was assured that during mild winters, the Pine Grosbeak is found 
in the forests of Newfoundland in considerable numbers, and that some 
remain during the most severe cold. A lady who had resided there many 
years, and who was fond of birds, assured me that she had kept several 
males in cages; that they soon became familiar, wovld sing during the 
night, and fed on ail sorts of fruits and berries during the summer, 
and on seeds of various kinds in winter; that they were fond of bath- 
ing, but liable to cramps ; and that they died of sores produced around 
their eyes and the base of the upper mandible. 1 have observed the 
same to happen to the Cardinal and Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. 
The flight of this bird is undulating and smooth, performed in a di- 
rect line when it is migrating, at a considerable height above the forests, 
. and in groups of from five to ten individuals. “Chey alight frequently 
during the day, on such trees as are opening their buds or blossoms. 
At such times they are extremely gentle, and easily approached. are 
_ extremely fond of bathing, and whether on the ground or on branches, 
move by short leaps. I have been much surprised to see, on my having 
fired, those that were untouched, fiy directly towards me, until within 
a few feet, and then slide off and alight on the lower branches of 
