144 



cassell's book of birds. 



olive grey, spotted with dark brown, each individual feather being marked in the middle with the 

 same colour. Over the head runs a yellow stripe, spotted and edged with dark brown ; the eyes 

 are surrounded by a white line ; the wings and tail are brown, the lower portions of both having a 

 yellowish shade ; the former are bordered by two light lines, which are much narrower than in the 

 male. The neck, breast, and sides are marked with dark brown, and the lower wing-covers shaded 

 with rose colour. 



Audubon tells us that he frequently observed these magnificent birds in some parts of Louisiana, 

 Kentucky, and Cincinnati, during the month of March, as they passed over the country in the course 



THE rose-breasted HAWFINCH [Coccoborus hidovicianus). 



of their migrations. Pennsylvania, New York, and other States lying eastward, are likewise often 

 visited by them ; but they are rarely seen in Labrador or on the coasts of Georgia, or Carolina, 

 although they inhabit the mountains of those regions. They are generally numerous near the banks 

 of a river, and large parties of them frequent the neighbourhood of Lakes Ontario and Erie. When 

 in flight, these beautiful Finches rise high into the air with violent and very decided strokes of the 

 wings. The call-note is uttered whilst flying, and ceases as soon as the bird has alighted upon a tree- 

 top, where it remains perched erect and motionless for a few minutes, and then seeks shelter in some 

 retired and shady spot. Many varieties of seeds, buds, and tender shoots form their principal food, 

 and they are in the habit of seizing insects while on the wing. The nest, which is built chiefly of 

 twigs and leaves, lined with hair or delicate fibres, is placed at variable distances from the ground, such 

 localities being preferred as are in the vicinity of water. There is but one brood during the year, and 

 both parents co-operate in the duties of incubation. The young are at first fed upon insects, and at a 

 later period on seeds, softened in the crops of the parent birds ; they do not attain their full beauty 



