Evening and Pine Grosbeaks in Ontario. * — Large and numerous flocks of 
these two'Species ( Coccothraustes vesfiertina and Pinicola enucleator) have 
appeared this year in the Province of Ontario. They are reported from 
Kingston, Toronto, southern Peel Co., and Hamilton; no doubt more ex- 
tended observation would show a universal distribution at least along the 
northern shore of Lake Ontario. The first comers of this migration were 
observed about New Year’s Day, and since then large numbers of both 
species have been reported from all points under observation. Some- 
times the species are in separate flocks, and sometimes together. When 
not associated with the Pine Grosbeaks, the Evening Grosbeaks have 
usually been observed on the ground, where their actions are much like 
those of the Pifiilo erythropkthalmus; the food that they find there is 
seeds of maple ( Acer saccharinumf) , stones of choke cherry, and common 
ed haws; these latter are found in their stomachs all crushed, no doubt, 
by the powerful mandibles of the birds. 
The Pine Grosbeaks are usually seen feeding on the berries of the 
mountain-ash, and the crops and gizzards of many that have been shot 
have been found crammed with the seeds of the black ash, divested of the 
outer covering in most cases. 
This migration is so great and so unusual that all the papers have had 
notices of it, and every one about here who makes any pretention to 
being a naturalist has added numerous examples of both species to his 
collection. 
It is interesting to note that last winter there were no records here for 
the Evening and but one or two for the Pine Grosbeaks; the winter was 
a severe one, while this is unusually mild so far (Jan. 27), so it seems as 
if the abundant food supply, rather than any climatic conditions directly, 
might have had to do with the migration. — Ernest E. Thompson, 
Toronto , Out. 
Auk, VII. April, 1800. p 211 
*For further records of the eastward movement of Evening Grosbeaks during 
the past winter see the following: ‘Forest and Stream’, Vol. XXIV, Feb. 6, 1890, pp. 
44, 45; Feb. 13, pp. 64,65; Feb. 27, pp. 103 104; March 6, p. 123; March 13, p. 143; 
March 20, p. 167; March 27, p. 187. — ‘Ornithologist gnd Oologist’, Vol. XV, No, 
2, Feb., 1S90, pp. 27-28; No, 3, March, 1890, p. 46. 
?7t‘ w 
. shortly afterwards, 
while passing through a swamp of mixed timber my companion 
had wing-tipped a Nuthatch, and was floundering through the 
deep snow in pursuit, when I saw him suddenly turn and fire in 
an opposite direction. In reply to the usual question, “What 
have you got?” the answer came back, “An Evening Grosbeak.” 
Leaving the horse in the tracks I found that such was really the 
case, but, under fear of missing so rare a chance, he had fired 
too close and almost destroyed it. The call of another was 
still heard among the tree-tops, and in a few minutes I saw an 
Evening Grosbeak alive for the first time. I can’t say my hand 
was quite steady, but I brought him down, with outstretched, 
quivering wings, with a single pellet through his head, — a bad 
place for a bird to be hit that is wanted for preservation, but in 
this case a little extra care was all that was needed to make a 
good mounted specimen. Both were young birds in the plumage 
of the female, and seemed as if hardly recovered from the first 
moult. 
In the month of May, 1863, a few specimens were obtained 
near Woodstock, and again in May, 1871, I got three which were 
shot near London, but these are all I have ever heard of being 
found in Canada ; and from the list of birds recently published 
by Messrs. Saunders and Morden of London, these dilligent col- 
lectors do not seem to have met with this species, which may 
be regarded as purely accidental here. 
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