1878. ] Zoology. 471 
The food of the species in this latitude consists for the most part 
of berries, especially the fruit bf the well-known snowberry bush, 
although it is frequently seen feeding upon bread crumbs, apple- 
parings and similar kinds of kitchen “refuse. It is also remarked 
in early spring to regale itself on certain coleopterous insects 
which then begin to show themselves, capturing eo on the 
wing somewhat after the manner of the true fly-catc 
e s carry themselves more fearlessly among a scenes 
of civilinio than this one, notwithstanding that its career is 
with the marked beauty of its plumage and briskness of its ways, 
receives no little complimentary notice. 
Occasionally one finds this bird caged in Minnesota, as in our 
severe winter weather it is readily taken in a common quail trap 
baited with apple. The species is, however, but poorly adapted 
to a life of captivity, as while it partakes regularly enough of food 
under these circumstances, loss of exercise ere long impairs ‘its 
assimilative powers, and it succumbs to fatal emaciation. Al- 
hough christened garrulus, the title seems a great misnomer as 
applied to this species, or at all events as it occurs in Minnesota ; 
for while the species is known to very many observers hereabouts, 
ew of these have any knowledge of its note. 
My next note is on the evening grosbeak (Hesperiphona ves- 
pertina). Like the preceding this straggler has for the last half 
decade taken up his winter quarters in Minneapolis and its vicin- 
ity with almost unbroken regularity. 
This also proves to be a gregarious species, seldom being seen 
save in troops, sometimes comprising several scores of individuals. 
Its usual haunts hereabouts are groves of sugar maple, the buds 
of which, together with the kernels of the seed of the box-elder, 
constitute almost its only food. It is observed with us to be even 
` less suspicious of man than the chatterer; as it unhesitatingly 
establishes itself in the town shade trees, and on rare occasions, 
as if from motives of pure curiosity, it is seen to ramble over the 
housetop and up and down the porch after the manner of the 
wren. From its strangely ejaculatory as well as harshly piping 
quality, the song of the species can scarcely be compared with 
bird-music as one commonly understands the term. Yet notwith- 
standing its demerits, much of the bird’s leisure time is spent in 
its practice both as a soloist and chorister. 
The collector adds to his store the skins of the fully developed 
males of this Grosbeak with signal satisfaction; as from the 
sharply contrasted disposition of their leading hues —white yellow 
and black—it is questionable whether the uniform of a y of our 
native birds is on the whole more striking. In enero over the 
_ skins of the females taken hereabouts, they mostly disclose aoo 2 
