bird neighbors-第50章

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er　with　the　insects　and　berries　that　form　their　food。

Happily　for　the　young　birds'　fate；　they　are　clothed　at　first　in　motley；　dull　colors；　with　here　and　there　only　a　bright　touch　of　scarlet；　yellow；　and　olive　to　prove　their　claim　to　the　parent　whose　gorgeous　plumage　must　be　their　admiration。　But　after　the　moulting　season　it　would　be　a　wise　tanager　that　knew　its　own　father。　His　scarlet　feathers　are　now　replaced　by　an　autumn　coat　of　olive　and　yellow　not　unlike　his　mate's。


PINE　GROSBEAK　（Pinicola　enucleator）　Finch　family

Called　also：　PINE　BULLFINCH

Length　　Variously　recorded　from　6。5　to　11　inches。　Specimen　　　measured　8。5　inches。　About　one…fifth　smaller　than　the　robin。　Male　　General　color　strawberry…red；　with　some　slate…gray　　　fleckings　about　head；　under　wings；　and　on　legs。　Tail　brown；　　　wings　brown；　marked　with　black　and　white　and　slate。　A　band…　　　shaped　series　of　markings　between　the　shoulders。　Underneath　　　paler　red；　merging　into　grayish　green。　Heavy；　conspicuous　bill。　Female　　Ash…brown。　Head　and　hind　neck　yellowish　brown；　each　　　feather　having　central　dusky　streak。　Cheeks　and　throat　　　yellowish。　Beneath　ash…gray；　tinged　with　brownish　yellow　under　　　tail。　Range　　British　American　provinces　and　northern　United　States。　Migrations　　Irregular　winter　visitors；　length　of　visits　as　　　uncertain　as　their　coming。

As　inseparable　as　bees　from　flowers；　so　are　these　beautiful　winter　visitors　from　the　evergreen　woods；　where　their　red　feathers；　shining　against　the　dark…green　background　of　the　trees；　give　them　charming　prominence；　but　they　also　feed　freely　upon　the　buds　of　various　deciduous　trees。

South　of　Canada　we　may　not　look　for　them　except　in　the　severest　winter　weather。　Even　then　their　coming　is　not　to　be　positively　depended　upon；　but　when　their　caprice　　or　was　it　an　unusually　fierce　northern　blast？　　sends　them　over　the　Canada　border；　it　is　a　simple　matter　to　identify　them　when　such　brilliant　birds　are　rare。　The　brownish…yellow　and　grayish　females　and　young　males；　however；　always　seem　to　be　in　the　majority　with　us；　though　our　Canadian　friends　assure　us　of　the　irreproachable　morals　of　this　gay　bird。

Wherever　there　are　clusters　of　pine　or　cedar　trees；　when　there　is　a　flock　of　pine　grosbeaks　in　the　neighborhood；　you　may　expect　to　find　a　pair　of　birds　diligently　feeding　upon　the　seeds　and　berries。　No　cheerful　note　escapes　them　as　they　persistently　gormandize；　and；　if　the　truth　must　be　confessed；　they　appear　to　be　rather　stupid　and　uninteresting；　albeit　they　visit　us　at　a　time　when　we　are　most　inclined　to　rapture　over　our　bird　visitors。　They　are　said　to　have　a　deliciously　sweet　song　in　the　nesting　season。　When；　however；　few　except　the　Canadian　voyageurs　hear　it。


AMERICAN　CROSSBILL　（Loxia　curvirostra　minor）　Finch　family

Called　also：　RED　CROSSBILL　＇AOU　1998＇

Length　　6　to　7　inches。　About　the　size　of　the　English　sparrow。　Male　　General　color　Indian　red；　passing　into　brownish　gray；　　　with　red　tinge　beneath。　Wings　（without　bands）；　also　tail；　　　brown；　Beak　crossed　at　the　tip。　Female　　General　color　greenish　yellow；　with　brownish　tints。　　　Dull…yellowish　tints　on　head；　throat；　breast；　and　underneath。　　　Wings　and　tail　pale　brown。　Beak　crossed　at　tip。　Range　　Pennsylvania　to　northern　British　America。　West　of　　　Mississippi；　range　more　southerly。　Migrations　　Irregular　winter　visitor。　November。　Sometimes　　　resident　until　April。

It　is　a　rash　statement　to　say　that　a　bird　is　rare　simply　because　you　have　never　seen　it　in　your　neighborhood；　for　while　you　are　going　out　of　the　front　door　your　rara　avis　may　be　eating　the　crumbs　about　your　kitchen。　Even　with　our　eyes　and　ears　constantly　alert　for　some　fresh　bird　excitement；　our　phlegmatic　neighbor　over　the　way　may　be　enjoying　a　visit　from　a　whole　flock　of　the　very　bird　we　have　been　looking　and　listening　for　in　vain　all　the　year。　The　red　crossbills　are　capricious　little　visitors；　it　is　true；　but　by　no　means　uncommon。

About　the　size　of　an　English　sparrow；　of　a　brick　or　Indian　red　color；　for　the　most　part；　the　peculiarity　of　its　parrot…like　beak　is　its　certain　mark　of　identification。

Longfellow　has　rendered　into　verse　the　German　legend　of　the　crossbill；　which　tells　that　as　the　Saviour　hung　upon　the　cross；　a　little　bird　tried　to　pull　out　the　nails　that　pierced　His　hands　and　feet；　thus　twisting　its　beak　and　staining　its　feathers　with　the　blood。

At　first　glance　the　birds　would　seem　to　be　hampered　by　their　crossed　beaks　in　getting　at　the　seeds　in　the　pine　cones　　a　superficial　criticism　when　the　thoroughness　and　admirable　dexterity　of　their　work　are　better　understood。

Various　seeds　of　fruits；　berries；　and　the　buds　of　trees　enlarge　their　bill　of　fare。　They　are　said　to　be　inordinately　fond　of　salt。　Mr。　Romeyn　B。　Hough　tells　of　a　certain　old　ice…cream　freezer　that　attracted　flocks　of　crossbills　one　winter；　as　a　salt…lick　attracts　deer。　Whether　the　traditional　salt　that　may　have　stuck　to　the　bird's　tail　is　responsible　for　its　tameness　is　not　related；　but　it　is　certain　the　crossbills；　like　most　bird　visitors　from　the　far　north；　are　remarkably　gentle；　friendly　little　birds。　As　they　swing　about　the　pine　trees；　parrot…fashion；　with　the　help　of　their　bill；　calling　out　kimp；　kimp；　that　sounds　like　the　snapping　of　the　pine　cones　on　a　sunny　day；　it　often　seems　easily　possible　to　catch　them　with　the　hand。

There　is　another　species　of　crossbill；　called　the　White…winged　（Loxia　leucoptera）；　that　differs　from　the　preceding　chiefly　in　having　two　white　bands　across　its　wings　and　in　being　more　rare。　


THE　REDPOLL　（Acanthis　linaria）　Finch　family

Called　also：　REDPOLL　LINNET；　LITTLE　SNOWBIRD；　LESSER　REDPOLL；　　　＇COMMON　REDPOLL；　AOU　1998＇

Length　　5。25　to　5。5　inches。　About　an　inch　shorter　than　the　　　English　sparrow。　Male　　A　rich　crimson　wash　on　head；　neck；　breast；　and　lower　　　back；　that　is　sometimes　only　a　pink　when　we　see　the　bird　in　　　midwinter。　Grayish…brown；　sparrowy　feathers　show　underneath　the　　　red　wash。　Dusky　wings　and　tail；　the　feathers　more　or　less　edged　　　with　whitish。　Soiled　white　underneath；　the　sides　with　dusky　　　streaks。　Bill　sharply　pointed。　Female　　More　dingy　than　male；　sides　more　heavily　streaked；　and　　　having　crimson　only　on　the　crown。　Range　　An　arctic　bird　that　descends　irregularly　into　the　　　Northern　United　States。　Migrations　　An　irregular　winter　visitor。

〃Ere　long；　amid　the　cold　and　powdery　snow；　as　it　were　a　fruit　of　the　season；　will　come　twittering　a　flock　of　delicate　crimson…tinged　birds；　lesser　redpolls；　to　sport　and　feed　on　the　buds　just　ripe　for　them　on　the　sunny　side　of　a　wood；　shaking　down　the　powdery　snow　there　in　their　cheerful　feeding；　as　if　it　were　high　midsummer　to　them。〃　Thoreau's　beautiful　description　of　these　tiny　winter　visitors；　which　should　be　read　entire；　shows　the　man　in　one　of　his　most　sympathetic；　exalted　moods；　and　it　is　the　best　brief　characterization　of　the　redpoll　that　we　have。

When　the　arctic　cold　becomes　too　cruel　for　even　the　snow…birds　and　crossbills　to　withstand；　flocks　of　the　sociable　little　redpolls　flying　southward　are　the　merest　specks　in　the　sullen；　gray　sky；　when　they　can　be　seen　at　all。　So　high　do　they　keep　that　often　they　must　pass　above　our　heads　without　our　knowing　it。　First　we　see　a　quantity　of　tiny　dots；　like　a　shake　of　pepper；　in　the　cloud　above；　then　the　specks　grow　larger　and　larger；　and　finally　the　birds　seem　to　drop　from　the　sky　upon　some　tall　tree　that　they　completely　cover　　a　veritable　cloudburst　of　birds。　Without　pausing　to　rest　after　the　long　journey；　down　they　flutter　into　the　weedy　pastures　with　much　cheerful　twittering；　to　feed　upon　whatever　seeds　may　be　protruding　through　the　snow。　Every　action　of　a　flock　seems　to　be　concerted；　as　if　some　rigid　disciplinarian　had　drilled　them；　and　yet　no　leader　can　be　distinguished　in　the　merry　company。　When　one　flies；　all　fly；　where　one　feeds；　all　feed；　and　by　some　subtle　telepathy　all　rise　at　the　identical　instant　from　their　feeding　ground　and　cheerfully　twitter　in　concert　where　they　all　alight　at　once。　They　are　more　easily　disturbed　than　the　goldfinches；　that　are　often　seen　feeding　with　them　in　the　lowlands；　nevertheless；　they　quite　often　venture　into　our　gardens　and　orchards；　even　in　suburbs　penetrated　by　the　trolley…car。

Usually　in　winter　we　hear　only　their　lisping　call…note；