198 Twelve Months With 



Bear, as token of this moment, 



Marks of blood and holy rood!' 



And that bird is called the crossbill ; 



Covered all with blood so clear. 

 In the groves of pine it singeth 



Songs, like legends, strange to hear." 



The redpoll, sometimes called snowbird, is 

 much more common, and may be seen almost any 

 winter after the first of November. This bird has 

 a red crown cap sometimes rather inconspicuous, 

 and the breast and rump are tinged with pink and 

 the rest of the plumage is grayish brown. He is 

 about the size of the goldfinch, which he resem- 

 bles somewhat in general habits. These birds are 

 often seen feeding upon dry weeds and grasses that 

 protrude through the snow. Indeed, it is the bury- 

 ing of these weeds and grasses by the heavy snows 

 in the north that drives them south for food. 

 They are lovable little birds, with a trustful and 

 confiding disposition. 



How unexpectedly one may happen upon one of 

 the irregular visitants from the northern pine for- 

 ests most any day in winter is illustrated by a 

 pleasant little adventure I had one bleak morning 

 in November. Hurrying through the village 

 streets on my way to a suburban train, an unusual 

 and unexpected bird call "ravished my delighted 

 ear." I stopped in my tracks, — and forgot my 

 train! 



Bird calls in November are sufficiently infre- 



