Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-02-09
WINTER BIRDS.
The Haunts and Habits of Several Snow
Loving Species.

The red-polls and the goldfinches oft
en- travel together. or at least are oft
en- to be found feeding in company;
and as they resemble each other good
deal in size. general appearance. any
WAYS, the casual observer is very likely
not to discriminate between them. On
ly the summer before the time of which
| speak had spent vacation at Mount
Wachusetts and a resident OF Prince
ton, noticing my attention to the birds
Ga taste so peculiar is not easily con-
cealed), had one day sought an inter-
view with me to inquire whether the
''yellow-birdH did not remain in MasSa-
chusetts through the winter. l explain
ed that we had two birds which COM
monty went by that name, and asked
whether he meant the one with black
forehead and black wings and tail.
Yes, he said. that was the one. as
sured him of course, that this bird. the
goldtinch, did stay with us all the year
round, and that whoever had informed
him to the contrary must have under
stood him to be speaking about the
golden warbler He expressed his
qualification. but declared that he had
really entertained no doubt of the fact
himself; he had often seen the birds on
the mountain when he had been cutting
wood there in midwinter. At such
times, he added, they were very tame.
and would come about his feet to pick
up crumbs while he was eating his din
ner. Then he went on to tell me that
at that season of the year their plumage
took on more or less of a reddish tingc;
he had seen in the same flock some
with no trace of red, others that were
slightly touched with it, and others
still of really bright color. At this l
had nothing to say, save that his red
birds, whatever else they We're, could
not have been goldtinches. But next
winter, when saw the .yellow-b birds"
and the red-poll linnets feeding togeth-
er in Commonwealth avenue | thought
at once of my Wachusett friend. Here
was the very scene he had so faithfully
described, d,-some of the flock with no
red at all, some with red crowns, and
= few with bright carmine crowns and
breasts. They remained all winter, and
no doubt thought the farmers of Bos-
ton very good and wise set to culti-
vate the evening primrose so extensive
ly. This plant, like the succory, is of
an ungraceful aspect, yet it has sweet
and beautiful blossoms, and as an herb
bearing seed is in the front rank.
doubt whether We have any that sur
pass it. the birds being Judges
Many stories are told Of the red-pOlls'
fearlessness and ready reconciliation to
captivity, as well as of their coSstancy
to each other. | have myself stood
still in the midst of flock until they
were feeding around my feet so closely
that it looked easy enough to catch one
or two of them with a butterfly-net.
Strange that creatures so gentle and
seemingly so delicately organized
should choose to live in the regions
about the north pole! Why should
they prefer Labrador and Greenland,
Iceland and Spitzbergen. to more south
ern countries? Why? Well, possibly
for no worse a reason than this, that
these are the lands of their fathers.
Other birds, it may be, have grown dis
and one after another ceased
to come back to their native shores as
the rigors of the climate have increased;
but these little patriots are still faith
full. Spitzbergen is home, and every
spring they make the long and danger
Gus passage to it. All praise to them!
If any be ready to call this an over
deeming it incredible that
beings so small and lowly should come
so near to human sentiment and virtue,
let such not be too hasty with their dis
sent. Surely they may in reason wait
till they can point to at least one coun-
try where the men are as universally
faithful to their wives and children as
The birds are to theirs.
The red-poll linnets, as have said,
are irregular visitors in this region;
several years may pass, and not one be
seen; but the goldtinch we have with
Us always. Easily recognized as he is,
there are many well-educated New
fear, who do not know
him, even by sight; yet when that dis
iinguished ornithologist, the Duke of
Argyll, comes to publish his impress
lions of this country, he AYERS that he
las been hardly more interested in the
.glories of Niagara" than in this same
title yellow-b bird, which he saw for the
irst time while looking from his hotel
window at the great cataract. "A
indeedr' he exclaims.
'uch tribute as this from the pen of
British nobleman ought to give Astra-
'Gttnus tristis immediate entrance into
he very best of American society
Tebruary atlantic,