PINE LINNET. 321 



Abundant, nearly resident, possibly breeding in Northern Ohio; win- 

 ter visitor in other parts of the State. 



First noted in Ohio by Dr. Storer. ou the auth,, ^y of Dr. Kiitland 

 (quoted on ijxge 2:15). Dr. Kirtland gives the fo!J v. iixg account in the 

 pages of the Family Visitor ol May 30, 1850: 



"Baring the last three years large flocks of these birds, consititiDg of both old and 

 joung, have visit d oar grounds aa early :;s the iirst of July, and since they appeared 

 here last summer, we have observed theui almost i aily for a period of nine months and 

 a half. At this time they are btill comniojj, and show no evidence of a disposition to 

 depail. for more northern haunts. 



"At their first appearaiteo in mid-summer, the young are imraatured— portions of 

 down still mixed with their feathers, and their quills bloodshot, and so weak that they 

 could hardly sustain a flight of seventy miles across the Lake. They are then so tame 

 that ihoy can be readily approached. Koveral have been taken about my place by 

 means of a butterfly net, and our Maltese cat has not failed to lay the flocks' under 

 heavy contributions. Their food, during the summer, seems to consist almost exclus- 

 ively of aphides, which they collect in great numbers fri m the flowers, shrubs, and fruit 

 trees in the immediate vicinity of the dwelliDg-lionsi^i!:i During autumn and winter, 

 they sustain themselves here ou the teeds of weeds and grapes. Those of the catnij) are 

 a special favorite with them, and we have seen a dozen individuals congregate upon one 

 of those plants. 



" They frequently associate with the American Gnldiinch during the summer, and the 

 Red-poll during winter. 



" From these facts wo are induced to believe it is a permanent resident in this vicinity, 

 and that it breeds here during the months of May and June, although we have not yet 

 discovered its nest." 



Under date of June 29th he says : '■ Numerous flocks of this interesting 

 little bird are still common about our place, five miles west of Cleveland. 

 They are now mating, and as thej' have been repeatedly seen here as early 

 a's the first of July in other years, it is probable they breed and rear their 

 young in this vicinity." And, July 11th, "The Pine Linnet is still about 

 our shrubbery, and will no doubt continue during the summer." 



It appears, however, from his article in American Journal of Science 

 and Arts (see page 193), that he never knew them to breed. They are 

 not named in Mr. Read's list. In the vicinity of Columbus I have 

 never been able to find them but on two occasions, and on each of these 

 single birds, one solitary, on a tree in the edge of a wood, the other 

 with Purple Finches in weeds on the bank of the river. Mr. Langdon 

 states that Mr. Dury found them abundant in the vicinity of Cincinnati 

 in the winter of 1868-9. None had been observed since. 



The Pine Linnet breeds in Eastern North America as far south as Mas- 

 sachusetts, and in the Rocky Mountains to Mexico. The nest is described 

 as built of small twigs of evergreen trees, grasses and rootlets, lined with 



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