Bird lore - Project Puffin

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the hedge as they dropped the bud-shells
on the ground beneath.
The coloring of the male was very vivid,
Noticeable against the snow and the dark
branches. The black-and-white markings
against the green body made him easy to
distinguish.
The female was gray and white with no
signs of olive-green. They outnumbered
the males considerably.
I should be interested to know if they
were seen in any other New England
towns. Marion H. Bayley, Newburyport,
Mass.
Evening Grosbeak in New York City
and Utica, N. Y
I should like to report the appearance of
a female Evening Grosbeak in the New
York Zoological Park, on February 15,
1916. The bird, which was quite alone,
was feeding on cedar berries and the green
tips of the twigs. As usual, she was fear-
less and easily approached. I am not
aware of a previous record of the species in
New York City, aside from Staten Island.
Mr. George W. Weston, of Utica, N. Y.,
informs me that on March 21, 1916, he
observed six Evening Grosbeaks feeding
on the ground near one of the main streets
and within the city limits. Lee S.
Crandall.
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The Evening Grosbeak in Greater
New York City
Though there are a number of records
of the occurrence of the Evening Grosbeak
in New York State, chiefly in the central,
western, and northwestern parts, there
seems to be but one possibility that it has
ever before been observed in New York
City. In a catalogue of birds observed in
New York, Long Island, Staten Island, and
adjacent parts of New Jersey, George N.
Lawrence, in the Ann. Lye. Nat. Hist.,
1866, pp. 279-300, lists it merely as rare
and gives no specific locality. A more
recent observation is that made at Plainfield,
N. J., in 1914, by Waldron DeWitt
Miller, (Bird-Lore, April, 191 1 ; Vol. XIII,
Notes from Field and Study 183
p. 95). It is highly gratifying then to
report the first definite record for New
York City which was made at 3.30 p.m.
on Sunday, January 9, 1916, by the writer
and Theo. L. Herman.
About a half mile southwest of Castle-
ton Corners, Staten Island, is a section of
country partially cleared by a real estate
company, but still supporting a growth of
scrub white oak, green briers, birches, and
the usual characteristics of land left to
survive abuse. The leaves of the scrub
oaks are crisped and curled into bunches
at the top, and the rattling of these leaves
first drew attention to the presence of the
birds, which proved to be a fine male and
female Evening Grosbeak. It was easy
to get within eight or ten feet of the
birds at any time, so unsuspecting were
they, and it would have been reasonably
possible to knock one down with a stick.
The only calls, rather short whistling notes,
were given by the male, and he was
especially conservative in this respect.
On the following morning the birds
were again observed in the same vicinity
and in practically the same place, but did
nothing of peculiar interest. Rain kept
the birds from their normal routine and
made things disagreeable in every way for
further observation. On the three following
days the birds could not be found and
doubtless left the locality, though a
nearby pine grove offered an excellent
roost. At this time it was supposed that
the Grosbeaks might have gone to the
Moravian Cemetery at New Dorp, three
miles away, where an extensive pine grove
offered suitable cover; but frequent trips
revealed nothing there. Not until March
12, did the unexpected happen. Mr.
Howard H. Cleaves, Mr. Theo. L. Herman,
and the writer were photographing
birds in the cemetery when Mr. Cleaves
discovered the female Evening Grosbeak
in an oak tree. She soon departed but
returned later with the male and together
they fed on the buds of a white maple.
Here they stayed but a minute when they
became alarmed and flew away, each giv-
ing a soft whistle.
Staten Island, N .
—
Y.
Harold K. Decker,