THE PERCHING BIRDs. gI 
sylvania seem to be favored with this bird as a resi- 
dent. 
Nuttall, writing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, says 
of this bird,— 
“‘Their notes are very similar to those of the Warbling Vireo, but 
louder and more diversified.” 
As I have heard them, singly, in late autumn and 
even in winter, their singing was as above described, 
but not so loud as the vireo’s song. They always 
appeared to me to be humming to themselves. 
There are many varieties of the purple finch scat- 
tered over the West and on the Pacific coast. One 
of these, called the “ Burion,” is in some localities as 
semi-domesticated as the alien sparrow. Dr. Coues 
remarks,— 
“Tt is a pleasing feature in the dirty Mexican settlements, which, 
with questionable taste, it selects as its abode, and where the air is 
vocal all the day long with its delightful melody.” 
The Cross-bills, in the Middle States, are occasional 
visitors in winter and residents of the far north at all 
times. They are red birds, without being particu- 
larly bright, and differ in that one has narrow white 
wing-bands. Their habits generally are the same, and 
in their south-bound migrations they are associated ; 
but the white-winged species is less abundant. The 
common name at once describes the bird’s most 
striking feature, and is the explanation of certain 
habits that are so very like the parrot’s. They are 
altogether boreal birds, and maintain their reputation 
as lovers of the northern regions by nesting in winter 
and migrating northward as soon as the young can fly. 
