( '24 ) 



THE PURPLE FINCH. 



Fringilla purpurea, Gmel. 



PLATE IV. Male and Female. 



From the beginning of November vmtil April, flocks of the Purple 

 Finch, consisting of from six to twenty individuals, are seen throughout 

 the whole of Louisiana and the adjoining States. They fly compactly, 

 with an undulating motion, similar to that of the Common Greenfinch of 

 Europe. They alight all at once, and after a moment of rest, and as if 

 frightened, all take to wing again, make a circuit of no great extent, and 

 return to the tree from which they had thus started, or settle upon one 

 near it. Immediately after this, every individual is seen making its way 

 toward the extremities of the branches, husking the buds with great 

 tact, and eating their internal portion. In doing this, they hang like so 

 many Titmice, or stretch out their necks to reach the buds below. Al- 

 though they are quite friendly among themselves during their flight, or 

 while sitting without looking after food, yet, when they are feeding, the 

 moment one goes near another, it is strenuously warned to keep off" by 

 certain unequivocal marks of displeasure, such as the erection of the 

 feathers of the head and the opening of the mouth. Should this intima- 

 tion be disregarded, the stronger or more daring of the two drives off' the 

 other to a diff'erent part of the tree. They feed in this manner princi- 

 pally in the morning, and afterwards retire to the interior of the woods. 

 Towards sunset they reappear, fly about the skirts of the fields and 

 along the woods, until, having made choice of a tree, they alight, and, as 

 soon as each bird has chosen a situation, stand still, look about them, 

 plume themselves, and make short sallies after flies and other insects, 

 but without interfering with each other. They frequently utter a single 

 rather mellow clink, and are seen occupied in this manner until near sun- 

 set, when they again fly off" to the interior of the forest. I one night 

 surprised a party of them roosting in a smaU holly tree, as I happened 

 to be brusliing by it. In their consternation they suddenly started all 

 together, and in the same direction, when, not knowing what birds they 

 were, I shot at them and brought down two. 



It is remarkable that, at this season, males in full beauty of plumage 



