104 



AMERICAN REDPOLL-TOWHEE-FINCH-BARN SWALLOW. 



Waxwing easily accustoms itself to life in a cage, and in some in- 

 stances has been known to live for nine or ten years in confine- 

 ment, feeding principally upon vegetables, salad, white bread, 

 groats, or bran steeped in water."— Brehm. 



Coues says : 



"The singularly erratic movements of this species are well 

 known, but not so easily accounted for, since the exigencies of the 

 weather and scarcity of food do not seem sufficient, in every in- 

 stance, to explain the case. It seems, however, most nearly par- 

 allel with that of the Wild Pigeon. The occasional occurrence of 

 the bird in small numbers in winter, through New England and 

 the other Atlantic States, as far as Philadelphia, is noticed in the 

 records above quoted. The only Eastern United States region 

 where it seems to be of regular occurrence in winter is the vicinity 

 of the Great Lakes. Mr. T. Mcllwraith reports (Proc. Ess. Inst. 

 v, 1866, 87) that at Hamilton, Canada West, it is a winter visitant, 

 4 sometimes appearing in vast flocks, and not seen again for several 

 years.' We also have advices from Kansas, and from the Colorado 

 valley, latitude 35 . We have no United States record from the 

 Pacific coast, but Dr. Cooper gives an interesting note in his later 

 work, above quoted. ' It is probable,' he says, 'that they reside, 

 during summer, about the summits of the loftiest mountains of the 

 interior ranges, if not in the Sierra Nevada, as I have seen them 

 in September at Fort Laramie, and the specimen obtained on the 

 Colorado was a straggler from some neighboring mountains. It 

 appeared January 10th, after a stormy period, which had whitened 

 the tops of the mountains with snow, and was alone, feeding on 

 the berries of the mistletoe, when I shot it."' 



American Mealy Redpoll, Mealy Redpoll Linnet. (~d£giothus canescens.) 



Fig. 10. 



This is one of our rare species. In summer it is met with in the 

 Arctic regions. Their note is somewhat similar to the Lesser Red- 

 poll Linnet, but more clear and distinct. Nuttall says : 



" They are full of activity and caprice while engaged in feeding, 

 making wide circles and deep undulations in their flight. Like 

 Titmice also, they frequently feed and hang to the twigs in re- 

 versed posture." 



" In their habits," says Audubon, " I could see no difference be- 

 tween them and the common Redpoll ; but their notes, although in 

 some degree similar, as is usually the case in all birds of the same 

 family, differed sufficiently to induce me to believe that this mealy- 

 colored bird is quite distinct from the species above mentioned, 

 although very nearly allied to it. I wish it were in my power to 

 describe this difference of modulation, which seems to me still vi- 

 brating in my ear, but I can not, and therefore must be content 

 with assuring you that the notes of the two birds are as nearly the 

 same, and } r et as distinct, as those of the American Gold-finch and 

 the European bird of the same name. Removing from one spot to 

 another with the peculiar activity and capriciousness of the Linnet 

 family, they would fly from one portion to another of the wild nat- 

 ural meadow on which I watched them nearly an hour before I 

 shot them ; alight here and there, peck at the berries a few mo- 

 ments, and suddenly, as if affrighted, rise, perform various wide 

 and circling flights in deep undulations, and at once alighting, re- 

 pose for a short while. Like Titmice, and often with downward 

 inclined head, they fed, chattered to each other, and then, resting 

 for an instant, plumed themselves." 



Arotio Towhee, Arctio Spotted Townee, op Arctic Ground Finch. (Pipilo 



arcticus^) 



Fig. 11. 



This pretty species of Finch is mostly confined to the Rocky 

 Mountains. It is retired, but not a shy or distrustful bird in its 

 habits. 



" We found this familiar bird," says Nuttall, " entirely confined 

 to the western side of the Rocky Mountains. Like the common 

 Towhee, it is seen to frequent the forests amidst bushes and thick- 

 ets, where, flitting along or scratching up the dead leaves, it seems 

 intent on gaining a humble livelihood. It is, at the same time, 

 much more shy than the common kind, when observed flying off 

 or skulking in the thickest places, where it is with difficulty fol- 

 lowed. In a few minutes, however, the male, always accompany- 

 ing his mate, creeps out, and at first calls in a low whisper of 

 recognition, when, if not immediately answered, he renews his 

 plaintive pay, pay, or pay, paj^ay, until joined by her; but, if the 

 nest be invaded, he comes out more boldly, and reiterates his com- 

 plaint while there remains around him the least cause of alarm. 

 When undisturbed, during the period of incubation, he frequently 

 mounts a low bush in the morning, and utters, at short intervals, 

 for an hour at a time, his monotonous and quaint warble, which is 

 very similar to the notes of the Towhee ; but this latter note (towhee), 

 so often reiterated by our humble and familiar Ground Robin, is 

 never heard in the western wilds, the present species uttering in 

 its stead the common complaint, and almost mew of the Cat Bird. 

 On the 14th of June I found the nest of this species, situated in 

 the shelter of a low shrub on the ground, in a depression scratched 

 out for its reception. It was composed of a rather copious lining 

 of clean wiry grass, with some dead leaves beneath as a founda- 

 tion ; the eggs were four, newly hatched, very closely resembling 

 those of the Towhee, thickly spotted over, but more so at the largei 

 end, with very small, round, and numerous reddish-chocolate 

 spots. As usual, the pair showed great solicitude about their nest, 

 the male in particular approaching boldly to scold and lament at 

 the intrusion." 



Lincoln's Pinewood Finch, Lincoln's Sparrow, Lincoln's Finch. {Me- 

 losptza lincolnii.') 



Fig. 12. 



This is one of our northern species, first discovered by Audubon 

 in Labrador. Their habits and characteristics are very similar to 

 that of the Song Sparrow. It is most usually met with mounted 

 on the topmost twig of some tree or tall shrub near streams in the 

 sheltered valleys of that cold and desolate region. There it gives 

 full play to its song for hours at a time ; then again it is in the 

 midst of a thicket, hopping from branch to branch, until it gets to 

 the ground in search of its fare of insects and berries. Its flight 

 is low and rapid. As soon as it discovers that it is being watched, 

 it takes to wing, and moves off swiftly to a distant retreat. 



" I found it," says Audubon, •« mostly near streams, and always 

 in the small valleys, guarded from the cold winds so prevalent in 

 the country, and which now and then nip the vegetation and de- 

 stroy many of the more delicate birds. Like any other species of 

 the genus, Lincoln's Finch is petulant and pugnacious. Two 

 males often chase each other until the weaker is forced to abandon 

 the valley and seek refuge in another. On this account I seldom 

 see more than two or three pairs in a tract seven or eight miles in 

 extent." 



PLATE LXXII. 



American Barn Swallow, Barn Swallow. {Hirundo horreorum.) 



Fig. 1. 



Swallows have been observed as long back as the time of A 11- 

 acreon, and in his thirty-third ode he describes it as follows*. 



" Lovely Swallow, once a year, 

 Pleased you pay your visit here ; 



