page [2] (seq. 3)

2
Cambridge, Mass.
1900
Jan. 28
(No. 2)

Loxia leucoptera
This morning I walked with George and
Mary to Kingsley Park in Fresh Pond Grove,
and I was not disappointed. As we reached
the point in the Grove where the road runs
round a plot of grass and trees a flock of
birds arose and flew a short distance, only
to alight again. A glance showed that they
were what I had longed to meet. White-winged
Crossbills (Loxia leucoptera). We watched
them to great advantage for a number of minutes.
I counted twenty-six birds of which eight
were red birds in most beautiful plumage.
They spent most of the time on the drive-
way busily hopping about and picking up
something. Once we approached within
twenty feet of them and with our glasses
watched most carefully, afterwards going di-
rectly to the spot where they were at work.
There was no sign of any seeds to be
found, and we inferred that they were
eating bits of gravel. Occasionally with
a whirl and a merry gingle of twittering
voices they would fly up into the neighbor-
ing pine or scatter into some of the smaller
trees, but soon they would return to the
driveway and run busily about picking.

Spinus pinus
With them, and keeping close among them were
four Pine Siskins (Spinus pinus). They are pretty
little creatures with heavily striped breasts
and sides, the yellow on the wings showing