PINE LINNET. B21 
Abundant, nearly resident, possibly breeding in Northern Ohio; win- 
ter visitor in other parts of the State. 
First noted in Ohio by Dr. Storer, on the authority of Dr. Kirtland 
(quoted on page 295). Dr. Kirtland gives the following account in the 
pages of the Family Visitor of May 30, 1850: 
“During the last three years large flocks of these birds, consisting of both old and 
young, have visited our grounds as early as the first of July, and since they appeared 
here last summer, we have observed them almost < aily for a period of nine months and 
ahalf. At this time they are still common, and show no evidence of a disposition to 
depart for more northern haunts. 
‘At their first appearance in mid-summer, the young are immatured—portions of 
down still mixed with their feathers, and their quills bloodshot, and so weak that they 
euuld hardly sustain a flight of seventy miles across the Lake. They are then so tame 
that they can bo readily approached. Several have been taken about my place by 
means of a butterfly net, and our Maltese cat has not failed to lay the flocks under 
heavy contributions. Their food, during the summer, seems to consist almost exclus- 
ively of aphides, which they collect in great numbers from the flowers, sbrubs, and fruit 
trees in the immediate vicinity of the dwelling-houses. During autumn and winter, 
they sustain themselves here on the seeds of weeds and grapes. Those of the catnip are 
@ special favorite with them, and we have seen a dozen individuals congregate upon one 
of those plants. 
“‘They frequently associate with the American Goldfinch during the summer, pia the 
Red-poll during winter. 
‘From these facts we are induced to believe it isa permanent resident in this vicinity, 
and that it breeds here during the months of May and June, although we have not yet 
discovered its nest.” 
Under date of June 29th he says: ‘“ Numerous flocks of this interesting 
little bird are still common about our place, five miles west of Cleveland. 
They are now mating, and as they have been repeatedly seen here as early 
as the first of July in other years, it is probable they breed and rear their 
young in this vicinity.” And, July 11th, “The Pine Linnet is still about 
our shrubbery, and will no doubt continue during the summer.” 
It appears, however, from his article in American Journal of Science 
and Arts (see page 193), that he never knew them to breed. They are 
not named in Mr. Read’s list. In the vicinity of Columbus I have 
never been able to find them but on two occasions, and on each of these 
single birds, one solitary; on a tree in the edge of a wood, the other 
with Purple Finches in weeds on the bank of the river. Mr. Langdon 
states that Mr. Dury found them abundant in the vicinity of Cincinnati 
in the winter of 1868-9. None had been observed since. 
The Pine Linnet breeds in Eastern North America as far south as Mas- 
sachusetts, and in the Rocky Mountains to Mexico. The nest is described 
as built of small twigs of evergreen trees, grasses and rootlets, lined with 
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