252 BIRDS OP ALABAMA 



males, May 1, 1913 ; and Dean noted the species at Anniston, 

 April 30 and May 7, 1916. There are three specimens in a 

 collection of mounted birds taken at Point Clear. 



General habits. — In its summer home in the North, this 

 handsome bird dwells in woodlands, and is said to prefer 

 second-growth timber which is somewhat wet or swampy. 

 It nests also in orchards and parks and does not shun the 

 vicinity of dwellings, but in spite of its conspicuous markings 

 it is so shy and retiring that it is not often seen. Its ordinary 

 call note is a thin, sharp eek, not very noticeable, but quite un- 

 like that of any other species. The song "strongly resembles 

 the finest performance of the robin — only the warble is much 

 more copious, continuously prolonged, and finely modulated 

 with a peculiar richness, purity and sweet pathos in the 

 tones * * *" (Langille). The male assists in incubation and 

 often sings while on the nest. 



Food habits. — According to Barrows, this grosbeak has a 

 fondness for the buds and blossoms of fruit trees. It also 

 helps itself to cherries, strawberries, and green peas. How- 

 ever, it is one of the few birds that regularly feeds on the 

 potato-bug and is useful, also, in destroying other leaf-eating 

 beetles.! 



McAtee found the food to be composed of about equal parts 

 animal and vegetable matter; among the pests recorded as 

 destroyed by this bird he mentions cucumber beetles, the 

 hickory borer, plum curculio, Rocky Mountain locust, canker- 

 worms, tent caterpillars, army worms, gipsy and brown-tailed 

 moths, and the chinch bug.* 



BLUE GROSBEAK: Guiraca caendea caerulea (Linnaeus). 



State records. — The blue grosbeak is a fairly common sum- 

 mer resident, but of somewhat local distribution. It has been 

 found in nearly all parts of the State, but is rare in the north- 

 ern counties as well as in the coast region ; it is most numerous 

 in the Central Prairie Belt. At Greensboro it is a common 

 breeder, and at Montgomery and Barachias it is abundant. 

 At Leighton it has been seen but twice — April 28, 1890, and 



tBarrowa, W. B., Hichiean Bird Life, p. 536, 1912. 

 •McAtee, W. L., Biol. Sunr. Bull. 32, p. 67, IMS. 



