280 
FRINGILLA PURPUREA. 
183 . FRlNGlLhA PURPURTtAy Wlt-SON AND GMELIK. 
rUKPLE FINCH. 
WILSON, PLATE VII. FIG. IV. MALE, SCMiMER DRESS. PLATE XLII. FK?- 
MALE, WINTER PLLTrtACE. 
Tins is a winter bird of passage, comin®' to us 
!arg:o flocks from the north, in September and October! 
great numbers remaining with us in PennsylvaniK ! 
during the whole winter, feeding on tlie seeds of th« 
po2>lar, button-wood, juniper, cedar, and on those 
many rank weeds that flourish in rich bottoms, an^ 
along the margin of creeks. When tlm season is very 
severe, they proceed to the south, as far at least aS 
Georgia, returning north early in April. They no"^ 
frequent the elm trees, feeding on the slender but 
sweet covering of the tlon ers; and as soon as th« 
clierries put out their blossoms, feed almost exclusively 
on the stamina of the tlou'ers ; afterwards the app^^ 
blossoms^ are attacked in the same manner; and theit 
depredations on these continue till they disappeut' 
which is usually about the 10th or middle of May. ^ 
have been told, that they sometimes breed in tbu 
northern parts of New York State, lint have never m*' 
with their nests. About the middle of September, J 
found these birds numerous on Long Island, and rouu^ 
New.ark in New Jersey. Tiiey fly at a csinsiderabl^ 
height in the air, and their note is a single diink, 1'^* 
thiit of the rice bird. They possess great boldness an* 
“V'*’ cuuffbt, bite violenth’, and hang by 
the bill from your hand, striking with great fury; bu* 
they are soon reconciled to confinement, and in a <lu.f 
or two are quite at home. I have kept a pair of thes* 
birds upwards of nine months tooliserve their manners- 
One n as caught in a traj), the other was winged wll^ 
the gnn ; both are now as familiar as if brongbt up 
from the nest by the hand, and seem to prefei" heiUP 
seed and cherry blossoms to all other kinds of foo“' 
Both male and female, though not crested, are almos* 
