426 Roosevelt Wild Life Bulletin 



were somewhat shy and suspicious, and extremely restless, con- 

 stantly flying from the top of one tree to another, and keeping up an 

 incessant rattling cry ; but the Red Crossbills were found in larger 

 numbers frequenting the lower drooping branches, to which they 

 clung in every variety of posture, gleaning busily the while, seldom 

 roving about, and inclined to be noisy and chattering, though their 

 notes are very unlike those of the other species, and more 'nearly 

 resemble those of the European Sparrow. Their dexterity in ex- 

 tracting the seeds from cones is quite remarkable, and the shower 

 of refuse materials sent down from a tree-top, is, of itself, sufficient 

 to apprise one of their presence." Mearns also saw flocks of Purple 

 Finches in March eating hemlock seeds, and the Pine Grosbeak, 

 Pine Siskin and Goldfinch living on them largely in winter. Sap- 

 suckers do not attack the hemlock as seriously as they do the birch, 

 and their punctures do not produce such lasting injury as they do 

 to hardwood trees. 



The Spruces and the Birds. Two spruces belong to the Adiron- 

 dack mixed forest, the red spruce (Picea rubra) and the black 

 or bog spruce (Picea mariana). They are almost indistinguishable 

 in certain periods of their growth, and are practically alike in their 

 relationship to the birds. These spruces produce small pendulous 

 cones with thin scales, which mature in one season and retain their 

 conical form until they drop from the trees. Like other conifers, 

 they yield a bountiful supply in some years while in others very 

 few seeds are borne. The spruce has been nearly eliminated in 

 many cut-over areas. Its birds are much the same as those seen 

 about hemlocks. As a nesting site the spruce is not a general favor- 

 ite. The Black-poll Warbler frequently makes its home in a small 

 spruce, as do also the Magnolia Warbler, Myrtle Warbler, Chip- 

 ping Sparrow, Cedar-bird and Purple Finch ; and the Ruffed 

 Grouse and Canada Spruce Partridge occasionally place their nests 

 beneath its low, drooping boughs. 



Certain of the birds above mentioned spend considerable time 

 hunting for insects in the spruces, searching them little by little and 

 flitting among their branches and twigs with diligent persistence. 

 A small grove will furnish plenty of material for the foraging of a 

 Myrtle Warbler or a Black-poll for several days. In fact, spruces 

 seem to be more attractive for their insect supply than for their 

 seeds, and most of the small birds resort to them. It is remarkable 

 how many food morsels can be found by birds in a patch of spruces. 

 A family of Kinglets will spend many minutes in getting a dinner 

 there. As I consider this phase of my observations, I am led to 

 note the significance of the fixed and definite associations that mark 

 the relations of birds to their surroundings. Certain birds of a 

 neighborhood quite regularly haunt the spruces, or the hemlocks, 

 or the birches, or the maples. Why is this the case? Again, there 

 are certain birds that we do not look for in the spruces, or the hem- 

 lock, or the birches, or the maple ; but why are they not found in 

 such associations? It would be quite irregular to find a Bluebird 



