and begin feeding within a few feet of 

 an observer. 



The song of the European form of 

 this species is said to be "exceedingly 

 agreeable, varied, melodious, sonorous — 

 sometimes strong, sometimes soft." It 

 is also a mocker and to a limited extent 

 will imitate the voices of other birds. 

 Dr. Cones likens its song to that of the 

 purple finch and says that during the 

 late summer and winter it is "clear, sweet 

 and flowing." Its call note is single, 

 sweet and plaintive not unlike that of 

 the well known bullfinch. 



Pine seeds seem to form the principal 

 food of the Pine Grosbeak though it also 

 feeds extensively on those of the birch, 

 alder and related trees. At times it will 

 descend to the ground and gather the 

 seeds of herbaceous plants and may eat 

 a few insects. Dr. Dall writing of the 

 Pine Grosbeak as he found it in Alaska, 

 says : "I have opened the crops of a 

 great many and always found them filled 

 with what I for a long time supposed to 

 be spruce buds, but on closer examina- 

 tion I found that they were the hearts 

 of the poplar buds, with the scales and 

 other external coverings carefully reject- 

 ed. I have never found anything else 

 in their crops." In those regions where 

 the mountain ash abounds the berries of 

 this beautiful tree form a very important 

 part of their diet whenever it frequents 

 such a district. 



The outer wall of the home of this 

 denizen of the forest is constructed of a 

 framework of slender fir or pine twigs. 

 Inside of this wall and projecting above 

 it is placed a lining of fine roots and 

 grass woven with a fine hairlike lichen. 



The Pine Grosbeak seems to bear con- 

 finement, but when caged it is said that 

 after the first moulting "the crimson color 

 of the plumage is replaced by a bright 

 yellow. Mr. E. W. Nelson observed 

 these birds in Alaska and says, "During 

 winter, while traveling along the frozen 

 surfaces of the water courses of the in- 

 terior it is common to note a party of 

 these birds busy among the Cottonwood 

 tops, uttering their cheerful lisping notes 

 as they move from tree to tree. I have 

 frequently passed a pleasant half hour 

 on the wintry banks of the Yukon, whi] 

 making a midday halt and waiting for 

 the natives to melt the snow for our tea, 

 listening to the chirping and fluttering 

 of these birds as they came trooping 

 along the edges of the snow-laden woods 

 in small parties. They rarely paid any 

 attention to us, but kept on their way 

 ' and were, ere long, lost to sight in the 

 midst of the bending tree tops and silence 

 again pervaded the dim vistas of the low 

 woods. Beyond the faint, soft call note 

 uttered as the birds trooped along 

 through the forests, I never heard them 

 make any sound." 



THE ANNUAL NOVEMBER CONFERENCE. 



October had gone. In north central 

 Illinois many trees had lost all their 

 gaily colored leaves ; others were fast 

 becoming bare. With the exception of 

 a few goldenrod and aster blooms, the 

 splendid autumn flowers were buried in 

 banks of dead leaves. The sun cast daily 

 smaller shadows. Only once in a while 

 could the tree sparrow capture a belated 

 beetle. The quiet of the woods was 

 broken by the busy little Mr. Squirrel 

 gathering his winter's nuts. 



The pecking of Woodpecker Brothers 



& Company was busily kept up ; but most 

 of the sweet-voiced birds had gone 

 south. 



The merry voices of gay nutting par- 

 ties were drowned in the rustling of dry 

 leaves. Even Mrs. Chipmunk was start- 

 led if she heard before she saw her own 

 Mr. Chipmunk coming toward her. The 

 woods seemed almost lifeless. 



Missing the bustling, restless life of 

 their active summer neighbors, the birds 

 still in the forest were beginning to feel 

 lonesome. Some were loth to leave their 



149 



