74 Coues’s History of the Evening Grosbeak. 
above cited, that he had heard of its presence near Hamilton, 
Canada West, and that a few years previously several had been 
shot by Mr. T. I. Cottle at Woodstock, where they were “ quite 
numerous for a day or two during the month of May.” 
Respecting the Evening Grosbeak’s presence in the States of Wis- 
consin and Illinois, Dr. Brewer presents the following paragraph in 
the “ History of North American Birds ” (p. 452) : “ On February 
14, 1871, Mr. Kumlein, while out in the woods with his son, saw a 
small flock of these birds in Dane County, Wisconsin. There were 
six of them, but, having no gun, he did not procure any. Later in 
the season he again met with and secured specimens. In the fol- 
lowing March Dr. Hoy of Racine also obtained several near that 
city. He also informs me that during the winter of 1870- 71 there 
were large flocks of these birds near Freeport, 111. One person pro- 
cured twenty-four specimens. One season we noticed them as late* 
as May. They frequent the maple woods, and feed on the seeds 
fallen on the ground. They also eat the buds of the wild cherry. 
Their visits are made at irregular intervals. In some years not a 
single individual can be seen, while in others they make their ap- 
pearance in December and continue through the whole winter.” 
The Evening Grosbeak has also long been known to occur in 
Ohio. The original announcement of the fact was made by the late 
Professor J. P. Kirtland, in the “ Ohio Farmer ” of March 24, 1860. 
“ Those of your readers,” says the Professor to the editor, “ who 
are interested in the natural sciences will no doubt be gratified to 
learn that so rare a bird as the Evening Grosbeak has made its ap- 
pearance in these parts. Early last week a beautiful female was 
secured by Charles Pease, Jr., and on the next day I saw several 
others of this species. It is known among ornithologists as the 
Hesperiphona vespertina , and has never before, I believe, been dis- 
covered east of Lake Michigan.” But this last statement seems to 
be not strictly accurate ; for Dr. J. M. Wheaton, in transcribing this 
paragraph into his excellent “ Catalogue of the Birds of Ohio,” adds 
that Mr. William Kent informed him that he obtained a specimen 
in the vicinity of Columbus, Ohio, in 1847. 
But we have the evidence that the Evening Grosbeak occasionally 
strays still further eastward. It has occurred in New York State, 
and is liable to be found even in New England. Its presence near 
New York City is attested by Mr. George N. Lawrence, who, how- 
ever, gives no particulars of the case. Dr. Brewer asserts that the 
