68 
THE NATURALISTS’ COMPANION. 
WIM'TEB BIBBS 
OF FBJjYCF FI) WABI) 
ISLAM): 
BY I'HANCIS BAIN. 
Ill tliB latter part of Uotol)or tlie 
Snow Buntings come hero. It is 
wortliy of renuirk that thoy ap[)c?ar 
in New Brunswick considerably 
earlier, indicating tliat tliey arrive 
from the north by that way instead 
of l)y direct hight across the Gulf. 
At tirst they do not freijUent the 
cultivated districts, but may be seen 
foraging along the shores and in de¬ 
serted grainhelds. In Ilecembei’, 
when snow and ice bury u[) their 
food in the wilds, tliey come about 
the grain stacks and farm yards in 
large, white Hocks, whirling, like 
snow drifts in the keen winter air. 
They are very ibnd of oats, for 
which this island is famous. They 
always shell the grain belbre devour¬ 
ing it, using only the farinaceous 
kernel. 
It is rare to hear Snow Buntings 
sing, but on a bright morning in 
March, ensconced in a sheltered 
nook, I have heard them sing alow, 
sweet song, resembling the Linnet’s 
in general outline, but much less 
strong, full, and rapid. 
Hie liedpolls arrive the first week 
in November, when the ripened and 
gilded cloak is just reft from the 
forest boughs. Then we see little 
ot tliem, but occasionally hear their 
gentle chitter as they pass hack to 
the groves of great yellow birches, 
on the seeds of which they princi¬ 
pally feed. Free and happy is their 
life in the wilderness now, as you 
may witness if you watch a group 
of them whispering aiul calling 
s[»ortively as they rife the seeds 
from the crowded strobiles of a giant 
EXCELSA. But when winter fully 
comes they are driven from the 
forest's summit, evidently sutfering 
from the cold. They then crowd 
close in shivering Hocks of Hfty or 
more, and come and feed on hay 
stacks and on the seeds of goosefoot, 
polygonum, and other weeds about 
the gardens.- I have seen the hun¬ 
ger-driven Hock settle down on 
loads of hay expensed for sale in the 
city market. Yellow IHrchs are our 
only deciduous forest trees which 
carry a quantity of seeds through 
the winter, aiul it is this circum¬ 
stance which makes them so import¬ 
ant for the support of the winter 
Hocks. 
The GoldHnches leave the last of 
October.the last individuals evident¬ 
ly suffering (luring cold storms, and 
their place in winter is taken by a 
few wild,bounding PineGoldfinche>^, 
whose slim voices sound sweet notes 
round the dark spires of ancient 
spruces where the White-winged 
Crossbills feed. We sometimes 
have large Hocks of Red (crossbills, 
but their coming is very uncertain. 
They were in force in December, 
1877, and in January 1884. 8pruce 
seeds were abuiidant both tliese 
seasons. 
Tine Grosbeaks come in Novem¬ 
ber, but their numbers are uncer¬ 
tain. When conii'erous seeds are 
plenty. Hocks ot Hfty bright-iJumed 
beauties, with their gentle, unsus¬ 
pecting, wilderness-ways and soft 
voices, come frequently about the 
spruce groves. But when these are 
scarce, as they are this season, it is 
rare to hear the call of a solitary 
wanderer in the most unfrequented 
fore.st scene. But Grosbeaks are 
