70 
BIRDS OF DURHAM AND VICINITY. 
May 6, August 6, September 24 and November 30. Previous to the 
first of these dates, I had not observed a single one in three years. 
They were abundant in the fall of 1899 up to December, when the 
majority at least went away. I have found them feeding on the seeds 
of elm, apple, pine, spruce, and hemlock trees. I have known them to 
live on the seeds of apples taken from a pile of pomace, several weeks 
in spring. When elm seeds are fallen, they go to the ground, wdiere 
they appear almost as much at home as sparrows, though ordinarily 
we find them only in trees. The call note of this Crossbill, which is 
uttered freely as it flies, is chip, chip-chip, chip-chip-chip, in a voice 
quite like a young chicken's. 
Loxia leucoptera. VViiitewinged Crossbill. 522. 
This species has a more northern habitat than its near relative, the 
Red or American Crossbill, and seldom comes to this corner of the 
state. In the winter of 1899- 1900, they came in great numbers, and 
were abundant from early in December till March, the last one to be 
recorded in my notes appearing on the fifth of the latter month. It 
may be readily recognized after a person has become familiar with its 
notes, which are quite unlike those of the Red Crossbill, being more 
like those of the Siskin. Indeed its most common cry, '■'■che-che, che- 
che,'"' cannot be distinguished from the similar call of the Siskin, but 
the Whitewinged Crossbill says peep,^^ now and then, when the 
Siskin would say "■dear.''' During the earlier part of their stay, they 
feed chiefly on hemlock seeds ; later, when hemlock seeds are mostly 
blown away, they feed on the seeds of the yellow birch. 
Acanthis hornemannii exilipes. Hoary Redpoll. 527. 
The Hoary Redpoll is a rare winter visitor from the arctic region., 
One in Mr. Shaw's collection is the only example of this species that 
I have found. It is similar to the common Redpoll in size, but very 
much paler in color. 
Acanthis linaria. Redpoll. 528. 
Redpolls are of very irregular occurrence as winter visitants. As/a 
rule, if any come they are aoundant, but they do not average to appear 
oftener than once in three or four years. They usually begin to come 
in November and remain till late in March. In January, 1899, a flock 
of about two hundred took possession of one of the college fields, and 
for two months they were there daily, feeding on ragweed seed. They 
began to diminish in numbers about the middle of March and I saw 
