BY T. MCILWRAITH. 
The winter of 1 S 82-83 will be remembered in Western Ontario 
by those who are fond of observing the movements of our native 
biids as the one in which the Pine Grosbeaks were so plenti- 
ful. Ihe visits of these northern strangers are by no means 
regular ; sometimes a few pairs will be observed during January 
or February, and again they will be absent altogether for several 
years in succession, but on no previous occasion have they ever 
appeared in such numbers or stayed so late in the season as dur- 
ing the winter now drawing to a close. They were first observed 
in the shrubberies in and around the city about the 10 th of January, 
and almost simultaneously with their arrival here there appeared 
notices in several country newspapers of the “arrival of flocks of 
strange biids, mostly of a smoky grey colour, but sometimes 
having a leader clad in glowing crimson.” 
While here they kept in small flocks, seldom exceeding eight 
in number, the proportion of adults in crimson dress being about 
one in twenty. Their forenoons were usually spent in feeding on 
the berries of the mountain ash, wherever they could be found ; 
they were in the most frequented thoroughfares ; and where the 
trees overhung the streets, the sidewalks were soon littered with 
the pulpy part of the berries, the birds using only the hard seeds. 
As the season advanced the supply of berries gave out, and they 
then resorted to the buds of the larch, and also fed freely on the 
fruit of such apples as they found still hanging on the trees in the 
orchards. In the afternoon they retired to the evergreens for 
rest and shelter. While here they showed the most gentle, 
sociable disposition, enjoying each other’s company and keeping 
up communication by a series of soft call-notes. Occasionally, 
when all was still, a male would indulge in a low, soft warbling 
song of considerable duration, which I could fancy might be de- 
lightfully soothing in the stillness of a sick chamber, but too low 
to be appreciated by human ears under ordinary circumstances. 
Toward the end of February the weather softened a little and 
the birds all left. This mild spell, however, was followed in a 
few days by a north-easter, accompanied with snow and sleet. 
Before it broke the birds returned again and sought their former 
shelter among the evergreens. This occurred on three successive 
occasions, but each time they returned in smaller numbers, and 
after the first departure none in the red plumage were seen. As 
late as the first of April a few were observed in the city, but 
they were evidently in transit and, calling loudly for company, 
seemed anxious to be off. 
I think it quite probable that the peculiarities of the weather this 
season may have brought birds together which never saw each other 
before ; at all events, it was a most unusual thing for us to see 
Pine Grosbeaks, Meadow Larks, Robins, Crossbills, Redpolls, 
Bluebirds, Song Sparrows, Tree Sparrows, all in one short excur- 
sion. 
Being desirous of securing a few Grosbeaks where it could be 
done without breach of the city by-law, which forbids the use of 
fire-arms within the city limits, I made several excursions to the 
country during the severe weather for this purpose, and also to 
satisfy nxyself as to what birds were really wintering with us, 
and how they fared during the season of unusual severity. 
This ride took in a circuit of twenty miles, and convinced us 
that though the number of resident birds to be met with in winter 
is very small, yet there is always the chance of meeting unex- 
pectedly something very rare and desirable. We were also quite 
satisfied that while here the Pine Grosbeaks do not remain in the 
bush, but keep by the towns and villages where they find the 
berry-bearing trees and bushes, especially the mountain ash, 
which yields their favorite fare. 
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