EVENING GROSBEAKS IN NEW YORK. 
I N the last issue of the Forest and Stream Mr. William 
Brewster has an interesting account of the occurrence 
of the evening grosbeak (Coccothrausies vesper tina) in 
eastern New Hampshire and Massachusetts'; in which he 
records the capture of a number of speciihens at various 
places throughout that section of the country. Thus the 
first introduction of the species to the fauna of New Eng- 
land is on positive record, and not on unsatisfactory or 
questionable data. In this particular New York is not so 
fortunate, for not until very recently has the evening- 
grosbeak an undeniable claim to a position among the 
birds of the State, although it has been enrolled as one of 
them for nearly twenty-five years. The writer has no 
knowledge of the existence of any New York State speci- 
mens which were captured prior to December. 1889, so it 
will be well before dwelling on these late captures to re- 
view briefly the status of the earlier ones. 
In 1866 Mr. Lawrence (Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist., VIII., 
1866, 289) mentions the evening grosbeak, but as no local- 
ity is given the citation may refer to New Jersey, as the 
birds of a portion of that State are included in the list. 
The next record is by Dr. Brewer (Proc. Bost. Soc. Nat. 
Hist., XVII., 1875, 451) of a specimen seen at Elizabeth- 
town, Essex county, by Rev. Dr. Cutting, in the winter 
of 1875. This record is very unsatisfactory, for the 
gentleman who observed the bird was presumably not 
an ornithologist, and hence mistaken in his identification. 
In 1882 Dr. Coues (Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, VII., 1882, 
250) records a specimen which was seen near Marcellus, 
Onondaga county, on July 8 of that year, by a gentle- 
man while fly-fishing. It is safe to consider that this 
was a case of misidentifieation, as the time of year 
renders the bird’s occurrence as highly improbable. The 
late Chas. Lenden (Forest and Stream, XXVIII. ,1887, 367) 
mentions the capture of two specimens by a boy at Brant, 
Erie county, on April, 15, 1887. He identified the birds 
from portions of one of the specimens, so there can be no 
doubt as to the accuracy of this record. 
Mr. Edward Swift (Forest and Stream, XXIX., 1887, 
383) records the capture of a specimen at Elmira, Che- 
mung county, on Nov. 25, 1887. The specimen was 
mounted, but destroyed by a cat the following day. 
This completes the published records for the State as 
far as known to the writer, and .taken as a whole they 
are very unsatisfactory. It is pleasure, therefore, that 
the writer is enabled to record the occurrence or capture 
of evening grosbeaks in various parts of the State during 
the present winter. On Jan. 8 the writer was surprised 
by receiving six specimens of evening grosbeaks from 
Lake George, Warren county, the gift of his friends, 
Messrs. Foster and Roy Lockhart. A letter from the 
former gentleman gave an account of their capture. 
Quite early on the morning of Jan. 6 nine individuals 
were seen on some maple trees in company with pine 
grosbeaks. Unfortunately, at the first discharge of the 
gun no specimens were secured, but they were decoyed 
back by imitating their shrill call and three secured. 
After this they would not allow themselves to be ap- 
proached, and finally disappeared. About noon of the 
same day four individuals were seen high in air flying 
south, but a few well-applied calls stopped their course 
and brought them down to the treetops, from where they 
were soon secured. One, a fine male, having its wing 
only slightly injured, was placed in a cage, where he 
soon recovered, making an attractive and interesting pet. 
Although the young men kept a sharp lookout no more 
specimens were seen until Jan. 23, when one female was 
secured, and on the 25th another captured. On Jan. 30 
a flock of about a dozen was seen, but departed before 
any could be secured. The following day the caged 
specimen, acting as a call bird, brought a flock about the 
house, from which three females and one male was 
secured. By the actions of their pet the young men can 
tell in a moment when other birds are around. 
In a recent letter Mr. Lockhart mentions the occur- 
rence of a flock of grosbeaks at Bolton Landing, Warren 
county, on Jan. 24. 
Lake George is the most eastern locality in the State 
from which records have been received. From the west- 
ytwfCXVj ern and southern .portions of the State dome a consider- 
\ able number. 
Mr. J. L. Davison, of Lockport, Niagara county, in- 
forms me that a flock of seven evening grosbeaks were 
seen in the city Dec. 14 and 15, 1889, but none were 
secured. 
Mr. Geo. F. Guelf, of Brockport, Monroe county, se- 
cured a pair Dec. 30, 1889, and reports as seen another 
pair in company with five grosbeaks on the following 
day. On Jan. 29, 1890, another specimen, a female, was 
brought to him. 
Dr. W. H. Bergtold, of Buffalo, reports that nine were 
seen on Jan. 10, 1890, and on the following day a male 
and two females were captured. 
Mr. Louis A. Fuertes, of Ithaca, Tompkins county, se- 
cured a male and two females on Jan. 21, 1890, the only 
ones seen. 
Mr. A. H. Wood, of Painted Post, Steuben county, 
writes that he secured three evening grosbeaks, the first 
on Jan. 23, and the other two on Feb. 1, 1890. 
Mr. G. S. Miller, Jr. , writes that he received from Os- 
wego, Oswego county, four fine specimens shot from a 
flock of about ten birds, on Jan. 28. 
Mr. J. Alden Loring, of Owego, Tioga county, writes 
that a specimen was shot from a flock of about twenty, 
which were feeding among the maple trees. On Feb. 1 
he saw three others, males. 
The above records are all that have come to the notice 
of the writer, but doubtless many others will soon appear 
from various parts of the State. A. K, Fisher, 
Washington, D. C., Feb. 8. 
IN NEW YORK. 
Editor of O. it O. : 
I have to add to the already long list of 
captures of the Evening Grosbeak a $ and 9 
taken on April 21st, from a flock of five in 
hemlock woods. A. II. B. Jordan. 
Willsborough, Essex Co., N.Y., April 21, 1890. 
The Evening Grosbeaks are staying late, 
i Saw a flock of seven-females April 28th. 
A. II. B. Jordan. 
. XV, May. l S90,p.f/, 
Oneida County, New York, 
W illiam L, Ralph 8t JUgbert Base s 
Coccothraustes vespertina. — The unusual migration of this species dur- 
ing the past winter, brought a record to us as it did to many other localities 
in the State. On Feb. 9 , 1890 , Mr. James R. Benton of Clinton, N. Y. , 
saw a flock of four singing on a tree before his house, and had the good 
fortune to secure three of t hem , a male and two females, all of which have 
been preserved. Auk, VII. July, 1890, p, J.3 0 
Saw one $, two 9, E veni ng G roshaa lrs. on 
the campus at Cornell University, on Dec. 5, 
1890. The male was a beauty, and was singing 
or chattering loudly. Alvan H. Alberger. 
Qa&Oo XVI. Jan, l89i * p ' i& 
The Evening Grosbeak in New York.— Mr. Charles F. Earle writes 
me from Syracuse, N. Y., July nth, as follows: “On the 8th of the 
present month I saw a male Evening Grosbeak ( Hesfi e rofih ona ves-per- 
' tina . ) near Marcellus Station, Onondaga County, N. Y. Being engaged 
in fly-fishing at the time, I was unable to secure the bird; but there is no 
question of the identification, as I had a good view of it at reasonably 
i close quarters.”— Elliott CoUESj Washington, D.C. 
Bull. N. O. O. 7, Oot, 1882, p. X W 
