BIRDS OF THE CAMBRIDGE REGION. 257 



it happens that they visit eastern Massachusetts at irregular intervals and at all 

 seasons. In the neighborhood of Cambridge, where they have been seen during 

 every month of the year, I have repeatedly known them to appear suddenly and 

 rather numerously in May or June, and well-marked migratory inroads some- 

 times take place in August, but the heaviest flights usually occur in October or 

 November and the majority of the birds which compose them ordinarily disappear 

 before the end of December — either passing further southward or returning 

 whence they came. Not infrequently, however, a good many Red Crossbills 

 remain with us through the entire winter. At all seasons their favorite haunts 

 in the Cambridge Region are the pitch pine woods of Arlington (especially to 

 the south and west of Arlington Heights), Belmont and Waltham, while those 

 which once existed just to the westward of Mount Auburn were formerly 

 much frequented. When the birds are very abundant, single individuals or 

 small flocks are likely to occur almost anywhere. I often see them in our garden 

 or in equally densely populated neighborhoods within the city limits, particularly 

 when the Norway spruces are well supplied with cones. 



144. Loxia leucoptera Gmel. 

 White-winged Crossbill. 



Irregular winter visitor, seldom numerously represented but occasionally abundant. 



seasonal occurrence. 



November i, 1887, one female seen, near Cambridge, W. Brewster. 



November 15 — April i . 

 April 29, 1 87 1, one ad. malei and two ad. females i taken, Belmont, W. Brewster. 

 June 13 ,1866, one taken (NewtonviUe), C.J. Maynard.^ 



Much of what I have just said concerning the Red Crossbill will apply 

 equally well to the White-winged species. The latter, however, has a more 

 northerly general range than its red cousin and it breeds much less numerously 

 in northern New England.^ These facts explain, no doubt, why we see it less 

 frequently in Massachusetts. Its visits to the Cambridge Region do not occur 



1 Male, no. 732, females, nos. 733, 2972, collection of William Brewster. 



2 C. J. Maynard, Naturalist's Guide, 1870, 111-112. 



^ It is apparently quite as irregular and erratic as the Red Crossbill in respect to its times and 

 places of nesting. I have twice found it breeding in small numbers at Lake Umbagog in late summer 

 and early autumn. 



