FEMALE WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL. 155 
probably extending 1 far to the northwest, as Mackenzie 
appears to allude to it when speaking 1 of the only land 
bird found in the desolate regions he was exploring, 
which enlivened, with its agreeable notes, the deep and 
silent forests of those frozen tracts. It is common on 
the borders of Lake Ontario, and descends in autumn 
and winter into Canada and the northern and middle 
States. Its migrations, however, are very irregular. 
During four years it had escaped my careful researches, 
and now, while writing, (in the first week of November, 
1827,) they are so abundant, that I am able to shoot 
every day great numbers out of flocks that are con- 
tinually alighting in a copse of Jersey scrub-pine ( Pinus 
imps ) even opposite my window. It is proper to 
mention, that owing perhaps to the inclemency of the 
season, which has so far been distinguished by rains, 
early frost, and violent gales of wind, there have been 
extraordinary flights of winter birds. Many flocks of 
the purple finch are seen in all directions. The 
American siskin, ( Fringilla pinus , Wils.) of which I 
never saw a living specimen before, covers all the 
neighbouring pines and its favourite thistles with its 
innumerable hosts. The snow-bunting ( Emberiza 
nivalis ) has also made its appearance in New Jersey, 
though in small parties, after an absence of several 
years. 
The white-winged crossbills generally go to Hudson’s 
Bay on their return from the south, and breed there, 
none remaining during summer even in the most 
northern parts of the United States, where they are 
more properly transient irregular visitors, than even 
winter residents. They are seldom observed elsewhere 
than in pine swamps and forests, feeding almost 
exclusive^ on the seeds of these trees, together with 
a few berries. All the specimens I obtained had their 
crops filled to excess entirely with the small seeds of 
Pinus inops. They kept in flocks of from twenty to 
fifty, w r hen alarmed suddenly taking wing all at once, 
and after a little manoeuvring in the air, generally 
alighting again nearly on the same pines whence they 
