they are not uncommonly seen in the tops of the low oaks which here skirt the forests. 

 Their ordinary voice, when they are engaged in procuring food, consists of a single 

 rather screaming note, w^hich from its tone I at first supposed to be one of alarm, but 

 soon discovered my error. At other times, particularly about midday, the male some- 

 times selects a lofty pine branch, and there attempts a song; but it is a miserable 

 failure,' and he seems conscious of it, for he frequently pauses and looks discontented, 

 then remains silent sometimes for some minutes, and tries it again, but with no better 

 success. The note is a single warbling call, exceedingly like the early part of the Robin's 

 song, but,not so sweet, and checked as though the performer were out of breath. The 

 song, if it may be so called, is to me a most wearisome one : I am constantly listening 

 to hear the stave continued, and am as constantly disappointed. Another error of the 

 books is this^ — they both state that the female is similar to the male in plumage. Now, 

 this is entirely a mistake: she is so very different in color and markings that w^ere it 

 not for the size and color of the bill, and its peculiar physiognomy, one might be 

 induced to suppose it another species.' 



"The annual movements of the Evening Grosbeak within the area of its usual 

 dispersion have not been well determined. It is a migratory bird in one sense, but does 

 not appear to be subjected to the impulse of migration with periodical regularity, as a 

 strict and proper migrant should be. It is certainly able to endure a very rigorous 

 climate, for its presence during the most inclement weather of winter along our northern 

 border, and even in British America, is sufficiently attested. Thus it appears, from 

 Captain Blakiston's article in the 'Ibis,' that the Evening Grosbeak occurs in the inhos- 

 pitable region of the Saskatchewan between the months of November and April, when 

 birds of this kind were seen feeding on the ash-leaved maples in company w^ith the very 

 boreal Pine Grosbeaks. On the other hand, we have witnesses to their occurrence and 

 probable residence on the table-lands of Mexico, not far from the capital city of that 

 country, where Sumichrast observed them in the pine woods of Monte Celto, in May, 

 1857. Mr. Henshaw considers the species to be 'doubtless a rare resident' in Arizona, 

 in which Territory he secured a specimen in September, near Camp Apache. As I have 

 intimated, our rather meagre records do not furnish the data for the full solution of 

 the question ; and they are in some respects so conflicting apparently, as well as frag- 

 mentary, that we feel our doubts rather increased than removed when we compare 

 them. It would appear in present light, however, that the bird is scarcely a true 

 migrant, but rather a wanderer according to exigencies of food supply, to some extent 

 resembling the Bohemian Waxwing, the Pine Grosbeak, Red-poll Linnet, Crossbill, and 

 species of Plectiophenax. Its general habits, and some traits of its character, especially 

 its sociability, familiarity with man, and ways of feeding, are those of Crossbills, Red- 

 polls, and certain other northerly FringilUdse, rather than of such species as the Rose- 

 breasted, Black-headed, Cardinal, and Blue Grosbeaks, with which it seems to be never- 

 theless related in some technical characters. 



"The erratic movements just intimated to be probably chargeable to this singular 

 bird bring it at times to localities remote from its usual centres of abundance. I shall 

 conclude with consideration of this point, in sketching the geographical distribution of 

 the species. Our early accounts, as I have presented them, indicated a range along the 



