The Pine Grosbeak in Michigan. 
Of the winter birds of Michigan there are 
eighty-five or more, and in Kalamazoo 
County about 42° north latitude and 85° 
west longitude there are sixty-eight species 
known to be found in winter. These are 
divided into permanent residents, sixteen in 
number; half-hardy numbering thirty- two, 
and winter visitants twenty. Under this 
last division are embraced many birds, which 
are not constant in their visitation, and which 
may be recorded as unusual, or stragglers 
from the north. Of these irregular visitors, 
none are more uncertain in their appearance 
than the Pine Grosbeak. It may be that 
the species is a winter sojourner in our state 
each year, but this has not, as yet, been 
! proven. However the records show that the 
j bird has occurred during successive years, 
I and this is enough to suggest an appearance 
each season at some point. 
In 1869 it appeared in Kent County, about 
42 0 north latitude. In 1870 the species was 
j abundant in Cass and Calhoun Counties, 
1 about 42°; 1871 found the birds in Vanj 
Buren County, 42° ; 1872 and 1873 give no 
records in the state that I can find. In 
[January, 1874, the birds appeared for the 
j first time in Kalamazoo County in small 
flocks. In December, 1874, they again ap- 
peared, but in large flocks, and remained 
ner of perching and biting off the buds 
There are many habits in which the two are 
alike. In our village, there were at that 
time many American mountain ash trees, 
j pyrus americana, which were loaded with 
the orange-colored berries. This fruit con- 
stituted the main reliance of the Grosbeaks 
during their visits ; at the close of their stay 
with us there was not a berry left for the 
early Robins, which not rarely feed on them. 
When feeding the birds seem oblivious of 
danger, and one can approach within a rod 
of a flock, but if one bird flies the flock 
quickly follows the lead, the movement of 
escape being accompanied by a series of 
their low, pleasing chirps. This call note, 
uttered singly when the birds are feeding un- 
with us till late in February, 1875. Flocks 
also appeared in Washtenaw County, 42 0 , in 
winter of 1874-75, one hundred miles east 
of Kalamazoo, but the species was not seen 
again in that neigborhood, Ann Arbor, up to 
1881. There are no records that I can find 
for 1876, 1877 , or of any other year, in the 
state, excepting that of Kent County, where 
the birds were abundant in the winter of 
1878-79. Since the date of 1879, I can 
secure no account of the appearance of this 
bird, although I doubt not that they have 
appeared in an irregular way in many parts 
of the state. If cold weather is the cause 
of their irregular southern migration, then 
the present winter of 1892-93, which is very 
severe, with deep snow, would give promise 
of their appearance. But though the species 
appeared in the east in large numbers, par- 
ticularly in New England, they have not 
been seen to my knowledge in southern 
Michigan this season. 
Going back and examining the old cata- 
logues of Michigan birds we find that nearly 
all our state or local records, especially the 
earlier ones, omit this species.* Sager’s 
pioneer list of 1893, document of house of 
representatives, omits it, as does also J. E. 
Cabot, 1850. In fact, half of the collectors 
* This is strange, when the early collectors had taken the 
equally rare Evening Grosbeak as a Michigan bird. In fact, 
the latter was first discovered in this region, and first described 
from specimens secured at the foot of Lake Superior in 1833. 
large number were killed in various ways. 
At one time, and when the thermometer in- 
dicated 1 8° F., the birds were very sluggish, 
appearing as if stupefied. I killed one with 
a short stick by reaching up and knocking 
it from its perch. Still I do not believe that 
it is the cold which brings these birds or any 
other irregular northern visitors to our neigh- 
borhood. 
One which I kept alive for several days 
fed on seeds of nearly all kinds, but appeared 
especially fond of apple seeds. It would 
tear apple cores to pieces very quickly, to 
get at the seeds. One bird, undoubtedly a 
male, which was captured in the plain plu- 
mage, took on the yellowish coat in May, I 
believe, and resembled the captive female 
