ot all birds that visit us. It is em 
gregarious, like most of our smaller m 
visitors, and even more so than its ne< 
tive, the Evening Grosbeak. 
On the two occasions when I studi 
Pine Grosbeak, January and February 
years 1874 and 1875, the flocks oc 
the trees in the heart of the village 
birds were particularly plentiful in 1 8 , 
large flocks could be seen at nearly al. 
in our public park, where they mainly 1 
in the clumps of thick evergreens, 
birds fed to a considerable extent ( 
buds of various trees and shrubs, mu 
sembling the Evening Grosbeak m its 
ner of perching and biting off the 
There are many habits in which the ti 
alike. In our village, there were 2 
time many American mountain ash 
fyrus americana, which were loade 
the orange-colored berries. This frtft 
stituted the main reliance of the Gro 
during their visits ; at the close of the 
with us there was not a berry left f> 
early Robins, which not rarely feed on 
When feeding the birds se^fn oblivi 
danger, and one can approach within 
of a flock, but if one bird flies the 
quickly follows the lead, the rnovem 
escape being accompanied by a ser 
their low, pleasing chirps. This call 
uttered singly when the birds are feedii 
number were killed in various ways, 
he time, and when the thermometer in- 
jed 18° F., the birds were very sluggish, 
aring as if Stupefied. I killed one with 
irt stick by f^aching up and knocking 
ni its perch. Still I do not believe that 
he cold which brings these birds or any 
irregular northern 'visitors to our neigh- 
sod. 
Ig which I kept alive fpr several days 
a seeds of nearly all kinds, but appeared 
Sally fond of apple seeds'. It would 
jipple cores to pieces very quickly, to 
; the seeds. One bird, undoubtedly a 
! which was captured in the plain plu- 
; took on the yellowish coat in May, I 
e, and resembled the captive female 
observers ot a state. ^ 
rever, when the species make® 
j;e in our midst it is an easy ' 
s habits, for the bird is very c p 
j we can safely say that it is g 
of caution, and it is fair tf 
most approachable ariel uns; 
40 
ORNITHOLOGIST 
[Vol. 18-No. 3 
and ornithologists of Michigan have failed 
to meet with it. A careful observer might 
live a lifetime in one locality and fail to re- 
cord this bird, while the flocks may have 
passed or even remained for the winter 
within a few miles of him. This is a strag- 
gler, the dispersion of which can only be 
understood through the combined attention 
of the observers of a state. 
However, when the species makes its ap- 
pearance in our midst it is an easy matter to 
study its habits, for the bird is very confiding. 
In fact, we can safely say that it is stupid in 
its lack of caution, and it is fair to believe 
it the most approachable and unsuspicious 
of all birds that visit us. It is eminently 
gregarious, like most of our smaller northern 
visitors, and even more so than its near rela- 
tive, the Evening Grosbeak. 
On the two occasions when I studied the 
Pine Grosbeak, January and February of the 
years 1874 and 1875, the flocks occupied 
the trees in the heart of the village. The 
birds were particularly plentiful in 1875, and 
large flocks could be seen at nearly all times 
in our public park, where they mainly roosted 
in the clumps of thick evergreens. The 
birds fed to a [considerable extent on the 
buds of various trees and shrubs, much re- 
sembling the Evening Grosbeak in its man- 
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, 
fyrus 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- 
disturbed, is the only sound which I have 
heard from them in winter. 
In the winter of 1874 I secured but three 
specimens, which were all in the gray or 
drab plumage, and I saw but one brilliant 
carmine male the entire season, in a flock 
of fifteen or twenty. An acquaintance of 
mine secured a fine drab specimen alive and 
confined it in a cage. In the spring it as- 
sumed a change of plumage, appearing of a 
tawny or yellowish and entirely different 
from the usual coat that we see here. This 
was undoubtedly a female, as it never gave 
voice to any song whatever. 
In 1875 I armed myself with a shotgun 
and a permit from the president of our vil- 
lage board, and went into the park for birds 
and secured a large number, among which 
were three carmine males. There were sev- 
eral hundred birds in Kalamazoo that year, 
and though I cannot feel certain about the 
number all told, I feel safe in saying that 
there were just seven bright males in the lot. 
I think that the proportion of sombre plu- 
maged birds to the carmine birds is about 
thirty or more to one. I have observed a 
flock of over fifty birds in January with not 
a brilliant specimen in it. 
Several were captured alive by the boys, 
who stunned them with snowballs, and a 
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 
