SONG BIRDS OF ORCHARD AND WOODLAND. 221 



clear and pure, to which no mere words can do justice. 

 When, filled with ecstasy, he mounts in air and hangs with 

 fluttering wings above the tree where sits the one who holds 

 his aflfections, his efforts far transcend his ordinary tones, 

 and a continuous melody flows forth, until, exhausted with 

 his vocal effort, he sinks to the level of his spouse in the 

 tree top. This is a musical species, 

 for some females sing, though not 

 so well as the males. 



This Finch appelars at first sight 

 to be destructive, for it devours buds 

 and the blossoms of apple, cherry, 

 peach, and plum trees, feeding on 

 the stamens and pistils. Often I 

 have seen a party of these birds 

 thus destroying the blossoms of 

 apple trees, and scattering the 

 snowy petals about in a shower. 

 They feed also upon the blossoms 

 of the red maple, the seeds of such 

 trees as the white ash, and the ber- 

 ries of the red cedar, mountain ash, 

 and other trees. But, as with the 

 Grosbeak, the pruning or cutting of 

 buds, blossoms, and seeds of trees 

 is not ordinarily excessive. On the other hand, this bird 

 eats many of the seeds of the most destructive weeds, rag- 

 weed being a favorite. The Purple Finch also destroys 

 many orchard and woodland caterpillars. It is particularly 

 destructive to plant lice and cankerworms. Its quest of 

 weed seeds is sometimes rewarded by some insects which it 

 finds on the ground, among them ground beetles and perhaps 

 a few cutworms. 



If a bird of this species is confined in a trap cage in spring, 

 and exposed in a conspicuous place, most of the Purple 

 Finches in the neighborhood may be trapped. The greater 

 part of the "Linnets" in many localities have been taken in 

 this way, despite the law and its officers, who are on the look- 



Fig. 81. — Purple Finch, male, 

 about one-half natural size. 



