BIRDS OF NEW YORK 269 



in the spring from the 15th of April to the loth of May, sometimes remain- 

 ing until late in June (in Scarboro ; Gerald Thayer) . It certainly is common- 

 est between the first of December and the last of February, most of the 

 records occurring between those dates. There were visitations of these 

 birds in New York State in the winters of 1848, 1864, 1874, 1878, 1882, 

 1888, 1890, 1893, 1896, 1897, 1899 and 1906. They were especially 

 common on Long Island in the winter of 1899 and 1900, and in western 

 New York in the winters of 1882 and 1889. When these birds find a 

 locality where food is abundant they seem to remain in that immediate 

 vicinity throughout the winter, as was observed by Mr Bicknell at River- 

 dale in the winter of 1874-75, from November 3 to May 10, and by Mr 

 Burtch at Penn Yan from February 4 to April 19, 1900, and by Mr Helme 

 at Montauk Point from November 8, 1899, to February 20, 1900. 



Habits. This species is more active and uneasy than the Red cross- 

 bill, and also more shy and suspicious, usually keeping near the tops of 

 tall trees when feeding. The few flocks which I have been able to observe 

 in western New York and in the Adirondacks, were in the tops of tali 

 hemlocks and spruces, and it was with great difficulty that I was able to 

 approach near enough to take specimens. They seemed to fly frequently 

 from one tree to another, wheeling about in the air and keeping up a 

 rather loud chattering cry as they flew about, the call note resembling 

 somewhat the syllables " cheep, cheep,'' being uttered in succession by 

 the different members of the flock. In the springtime they have a 

 beautiful song, perhaps more melodious than that of the Red crossbill, 

 a low, soft warbling, suggesting somewhat the song of the Redpoll. The 

 nest is described as composed of twigs, strips of bark, mosses, and lined 

 with softer moss and hair. The eggs are usually 3 or 4 in number, pale 

 blue, spotted and streaked with reddish brown and lilac, averaging .8 by 

 .55 inches. 



" The two common calls of this species are a loud, whistled ' wheet- 

 wheet-wheet ' impossible to mistake for that of any other eastern bird, 

 and an equally characteristic rolling twitter, which, however, is somewhat 



