Familiar Forest Finches and their Songs. 1 7 1 



many specimens procured at all seasons, I have never been 

 enabled to meet with a young bird. It is said to breed in the 

 region, but I am not aware of its nest having been found. 

 Another winter resident met with in very small numbers in 

 summer is the PlNE SISKIN {C. pinus) ; it breeds early, and 

 has its young flying before the first summer migrants arrive in 

 April, when large flocks may be observed feeding on the buds 

 of the hawthorn preparatory to their departure northwards. 

 It is very closely allied in habits to the well-known siskin of 

 Europe, with a song more melodious, thus becoming a very 

 choice cage-bird, and is easily tamed. I set several at liberty 

 after a confinement of a few months, when, to my astonish- 

 ment, all returned to their cages after an absence of several 

 days in the neighbouring woods. 



Another European winter visitor, the Redpoll (A. linarid), 

 arrives in New Brunswick, in large numbers, at the com- 

 mencement of winter, and suddenly vanishes with the snow 

 in spring. I could not find out its nest. Soon after its 

 appearance the male puts on the breeding plumage, the 

 crimson first appearing on the cheeks, then extending down- 

 wards. I doubt, however, if it is a condition in connexion 

 with the pairing, being in this instance present in the males of 

 large flocks of both sexes, throughout the winter. There is 

 much variety in the extent and brilliancy of the crimson and 

 the size and thickness of the bill, just as I found with the 

 linnet affecting Tibet and Tartary,* some males rivalling all 

 the others in the amount of gaudiness of their attire. Thus 

 it would appear that there are favoured individuals ; and no 

 doubt, as I have noticed in regard to other birds, such as 

 the trumpeter bullfinch,f the finest plumaged males are most 

 assiduous in their attentions to the females, and are most 

 likely to be preferred by them. Many of the most brilliantly 

 coloured individuals captured in February from flocks, after 



* " Wanderings," p. 284. 



+ " Natural History of Nile Valley and Malta," p. 17. 



