Middlesex Co., Mass. [Middlesex County, Massachusetts]
Carduelis elegans
April 21 - 1875 [April 21, 1875]
Clear cold and a very blustering day.
Ther. [Thermometer] at sunrise 20 [degrees] at noon 36 [degrees].
Off after breakfast striking up through
the fields to the farm. In Gray's
woods had a most agreeable and
exciting surprise. While watching some
purple finches in the apple trees I
suddenly heard a note entirely new
to me. ker-dack; ker-dee. ker-dack; ker
dee. repeated at frequent intervals
in a harsh tone. Looking through the
branches ahead what was my surprise
at seeing a most beautifully colored
bird which I at once recognized as
an European species Carduelis elegans.
Starting at once in pursuit I found
him very shy and while following
him from tree to tree he was
joined by another of the same species
and both flitted through the orchard
alighting on the topmost twigs and
sometimes whirling off with the
wind and the next instant returning
again. I finally crept within range
and shot one down where I found
it easy to secure the other as [delete]they[/delete] it
would not leave the spot where its
mate (as dissection proved it to be) fell.
The above note was the only one that
I heard either utter. Their flight was
undulating very like that of C. tristis [Chrysomitris tristis]
and their fine plumage very conspicuous.
Upon skinning them I found both
in good order, the male in fact fat.