EVENING GROSBEAK. 
135 
Territory to the Rocky Mountains, within the same 
parallels. It is common about the head of Lake Supe- 
rior, at Fond du Lac, and near the Athabasca Lake. 
A few were observed by Mr Schoolcraft, during’ the 
first week of April, 1823, about Sault Sainte Marie, 
Michigan Territory, where they remained but a short 
time, and have not appeared since ; and by Major 
Delafield, in the month of August of the same year, 
near the Savannah river, north-west from Lake Supe- 
rior. They appear to retire during the day to the deep 
swamps of that lonely region, which are covered with 
a thick growth of various trees of the coniferous order, 
and only leave them in small parties at the approach of 
night. Their note is strange and peculiar; and it is 
only at twilight that they are heard crying in a sin- 
gular strain. This mournful sound, uttered at such an 
unusual hour, strikes the traveller’s ear, but the bird 
itself is seldom seen ; though, probably from its unac- 
quaintance with man, it is so remarkably tame and 
fearless as almost to suffer itself to be caught with the 
hand. 
The specimen of the evening grosbeak presented to 
the Lyceum of New York, by Mr Schoolcraft, from 
which Mr Cooper established the species, was thought, 
until lately, the only one in possession of civilized man ; 
but we have since examined two others shot early in the 
spring on the Athabasca Lake, near the Rocky Moun- 
tains, and preserved among the endless treasures of 
Mr Leadbeater of London. The subjoined description 
is carefully drawn up from a perfect specimen now 
before us, which Mr Leadbeater, with the most obliging 
liberality, has confided to our charge. 
Although we consider the grosbeaks ( Coccothraustes) 
as only a subgenus of our great genus Fringilla , they 
may with equal propriety constitute one by themselves ; 
as the insensible degrees by which intermediate species 
pass from one form into another, (which determined us 
in considering them as a’ subgenus, and not a genus,) 
are equally observable between other groups, though 
admitted as genera. Coccothraustes is as much entitled 
