Springfield, Mass., 
November 30th, 1903. 
Dear Sir:- 
I am greatly obliged to you for 
your information contained in your letter of 
Saturday, relative to the appearance of the pine 
grosbeak. I heard of their presence in Cum- 
mington, Huntington, Becket, Tolland and Long- 
meadow, and have personally observed them in 
Hampden and Enfield, but none have been seen, as 
far as I know, for the past ten days. 
Yesterday I was surprised to find a kill- 
deer plover here, and Mr. Whiting,, of the Re~ 
publican, described a whistling note he heard 
uttered by a bird the same day, that resembled 
the cry of this specie, but a number of miles 
from where I observed one. 
After watching the markets and talking with 
shooters, I do not find that the red legged 
black duck comes here except in winter, and then 
only in small numbers. Last February, I 
flushed a flock of a dozen black ducks in such 

