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EVENING GROSBEAK. 
FRINGILLA VESPERTINA, CooPpER. 
PLATE CCCLXXIII. Mater. 
Tus fine species of Grosbeak was first introduced to the notice of 
ornithologists by Mr Wit11am Cooper, who published ‘an account of it 
in the Annals of the Lyceum of New York. Mr Scuootcrart observed 
a few individuals, in the beginning of April 1823, near the Sault Sainte 
Marie in Michigan, from which the species was traced to the Rocky 
Mountains. Dr Ricnarpson mentions it as a common inhabitant of 
the maple groves on the Saskatchewan plains, whence “ its native ap- 
pellation of Sugar-bird.” The female remained utterly unknown until 
it was obtained by Dr TownsEnp, who found this Grosbeak abundant 
about the Columbia River, and procured a great number of specimens, 
several of which are in my possession. The following note from him 
contains all the information respecting its habits that I can lay before 
you. 
** Columbia River, May 27, 1836.—The Evening Grosbeak, Frin- 
gilla vespertina, is very numerous in the pine-woods at this time. You 
can scarcely enter a grove of pines at any hour in the day without see- 
ing numbers of them. They are very unsuspicious and tame, and I 
have, in consequence, been enabled to procure a fine suite of specimens. 
The accounts that have been published respecting them by the only 
two authors to whom I have access, Mr Nutrratt and Prince Bona- 
PARTE, are, I think, in many respects incorrect. In the first place, it 
is stated that they are retiring and silent during the day, and sing only 
on the approach of evening. Here they are remarkably noisy during 
the whole of the day, from sunrise to sunset. They then retire quietly 
to their roosts in the summits of the tall pines, and are not aroused 
until daylight streaks the east, when they come forth to feed as before. 
Thus I have observed them here, but will not say but that at cther 
seasons, and in other situations, their habits may be different. They 
are now, however, very near the season of breeding, as the organs of 
the specimens I have examined sufficiently indicate. They appear 
fond of going in large bodies, and it is rare to see one alone in a tree. 
