Bird Migration in the Mississippi Valley. 29 



Evening grosbeak (H. vespertina). St. Louis — Not seen. Jefferson — "Winter 

 visitant. On March 1 I killed a male and female, the first I e\er saw in 

 Wisconsin, during twelve years of hunting. 



Purple Finch {C .purpureus). St Louis— Winter visitant. From January 24 

 to February 14, very numerous. February 24 — Have been very scarce, only 

 two seen. March 2 — Two at an old stand (one in brown) ; singing. March 

 11 — Almost all gone, but on the 13th there were several new arrivals in three 

 places. On March 16 I found them in small parties in five places and all 

 singing beautifully, something like the warbling vireo, and on the 17th they 

 were still numerous and in song. April 3 to 7 — The height of the season, 

 but on the 8th the bulk departed. April 17 — Still present, but silent, on hk r h 

 trees and in plain dress. On April 18 I saw four small parties in song, and 

 the last one was seen on April 25. Jefferson — Transient. On April 1 first 

 saw one male in fine plumage. Singing, but not in full melody. On April 4 

 I saw the first flock — three males and two females. April 11 — Saw two males 

 and one female; no more until April 28, when five males and two femaies 

 were seen. May 2 — A flock of twenty ; was met in the height of their wedding 

 attire ; six or eight much duller and the rest with no " purple." May 6 — Bulk 

 departed and last one seen. 



White-winged Cross-bill (L. leucoptera). St. Louis — Not seen. Jefferson — 

 Winter visitant. On April 3 first saw a single female in my yard eating apple 

 seeds. 



Common Red-poll (2E. linaria). St. Louis — Winter visitant. Saw a flock 

 of thirty to thirty-six on February 12. Jefferson — Winter visitant, though 

 chiefly transient. Occasionally seen during the Winter, but most of them 

 left during the cold time in January. The first flocks came back again March 

 14, and the last was seen March 24. 



American Goldfinch (A. tristis). St. Louis — Summer resident. A few were 

 seen on January 1, but by February 3 it was too cold for them and they al- 

 most all lefr. February 12 — In a nine miles' walk saw only two birds, while 

 in the same places four flocks were seen on January 29. March 16 — Are be- 

 ginning to come back, and were found in four places ; a few birds only and 

 in plain dress. A song once heard. On April 15 they were still scarce, and 

 on the 18th single calls were heard in six places. April 20 — More conspicu- 

 ous, and on the 21st was seen a flock of about twenty with the males in full 

 Summer dress. On April 29 they had begun to be quite numerous, and by 

 May 1 were everywhere and could be found in large flocks on high trees over 

 the water. Such companies make so much noise that the song of other birds 

 is drowned. They are much like blackbirds; all the voices stop suddenly for 

 a moment. May 11 — Height continues, but by the 15th they had decreased. 

 Jefferson — Summer sojourner. May 10 — First arrived in flocks; thirty to 

 forty birds seen. May 12 — Not quite the bulk. May 19 — Numerous, but not 

 the height ; heard almost constantly and still in flocks. 



Pine Goldfinch (C. pinus). St. Louis — Winter visitant. One bird seen on 

 January 18. Jefferson — Winter visitant, transient and possibly Summer so- 

 journer. A small flock remained about the apple trees in my yard nearly 

 all Winter; in early Spring they slightly increased, and were very tame, al- 

 lowing us to pass within five or six feet of them. They spent the most of 

 their time upon the ground under the pines. They gradually disappeared, 



