OF NEW ENGLAND. 177 
June, and as late as the first week in August. The eggs of 
each set are five or six, average about ‘63 X°50 of an inch, and 
are faint bluish-white (rarely with a few faint markings?). 
(c). The Goldfinches, perhaps the most graceful members 
of their large family, are very common and well-known, and 
one could hardly select from all the finches, or from all birds, 
more charming objects of study. They are summer-residents 
throughout a greater part of the eastern United States, are 
common in Massachusetts, and are very abundant in (certain 
parts of) Northern New Hampshire, and probably the whole 
of northern New England. They are very hardy, and remain 
in the neighborhood of Boston throughout the year. 
Ornithologists very generally have advanced the theory that 
those birds who pass the summer in a locality, where the spe- 
cies which they represent are resident throughout the year, 
retire in winter to the South, leaving their place to be supplied 
by others of the same kind from the North. Mr. Maynard, 
however, ingeniously argues that this is not the case, at least 
with the Hairy Woodpecker.53 However the case may be, it is 
certain that many Goldfinches pass the winter near Boston. 
In those months during which snow generally covers the 
earth, they wander, usually in small flocks, feeding, as at other 
times of the year, upon the seeds of pines or weeds, and such 
suitable things as they can find upon the ground. The males 
are then in their winter-dress, and do not assume their gay 
summer-livery until April. In March the ‘“‘ Yellow Birds” be- 
come rather common, and in April abundant. About the first of 
May, or even later, they often associate in large companies 
with the Purple Finches and other members of their family, 
and frequent orchards and various places where they can pro- 
cure food from the ground. The song of the male (for the 
female does not sing) may often be heard at this time, pre- 
vious to and during which they ramble over open country and 
cultivated lands, rendered noticeable by the jet black and 
bright yellow of the gayer sex. These flocks are gradually 
53“ The Naturalist’s Guide,” p. 129, 
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