126 PINE LINNET. 



group of thistles was seen by them. When feeding, they often hung head 

 downwards, like so many Titmice, and as often would balance themselves on 

 the wing, as if afraid to alight on the sharp points of the plants, which after 

 all they appeared greatly to prefer to all others. 



While among the Magdeleine Islands, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, I fre- 

 quently observed groups of five or six of these birds arriving from afar, and 

 in different directions. In some instances, these flocks alighted on the spars 

 and rigging of our vessel, the Ripley, as if to rest, when they would plume 

 themselves, issue their plaintive call-notes, as if to announce to others (unseen 

 by us) that they had alighted, and in a few minutes would leave us, and 

 direct their course toward the nearest shores, perhaps following in the wake 

 of other flocks. 



At the Harbour of Bras d'Or, on the coast of Labrador, in the end of July, 

 we met with a great number of these birds. They were then accompanied 

 by their young, and moved in flocks composed of a single family, or at most 

 of two. They haunted low thickets of willows and elders in the vicinity of 

 water, and were extremely fearless and gentle, allowing the members of my 

 party to approach them very near, so that we procured as many of them as 

 we desired. No difference was observable either in the males or the females 

 as to plumage, compared with that which they have in the winter, only that 

 the yellow of the wings was brighter and richer than it is at that season. 

 The young were already fully fledged, had the whole head of a clean plain 

 grey tint, and although exhibiting the different markings elsewhere seen on 

 the old birds, they had those markings depicted in feeble tints. Not a nest 

 could we find, although I have no doubt that the birds which we saw had 

 been reared in the immediate neighbourhood. 



In the State of Maine they are always abundant during winter. My 

 young friend, Thomas Lincoln, informed me that at that season, they flock 

 in company with Crossbills, the Pine Grosbeak, the White-winged Crossbill, 

 and other species, are easily caught, and require no particular care in 

 keeping. 



This species sings while on the wing, as the Goldfinch is wont to do. Its 

 notes are sweet, varied, clear and mellow, and although somewhat resembling 

 those of the bird just mentioned, are yet perfectly distinct from them. Its 

 flight, however, is almost the same as that of the Goldfinch. Like that bird, 

 it glides through the air in graceful deep curves, emitting its common call- 

 note at every effort which it makes to propel itself. 



Those which I saw while in South Carolina, in company with my esteem- 

 ed friend John Bachman, fed entirely on the seeds of the sweet gum, each 

 bird hanging to a bur for awhile, and passing from one to another with great 



