Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-05-31

colors cannot be seen unless you are
directly under him, escapes unnoticed.
The change OF the male finch from his
northern plain garb to the full crimson
costume is interesting as 1t Is deliberate,
taking two seasons, the rosy flush not APP
peariAg until the end OF the second year.
The range OF the purple, or crimson
finch, as wish the wise men would agree
to call him, Is eastern North America.
The nesting season is spent from Minne-
sofa and the Middle States northward,
and the winter from the borders OF the
nothern states southwark to the Gulf.
Its choice OF a nesting location is very
W ide, for, like the catbird, it is equally at
home in unfrequented and brushy wood
lands, and on the boroers OF home gardens
where people are constantly present.
In spite~of his unique plumage, 1t is for
his song that this bird has won renown,
and II Is by his song that he Is most
readily to be identified. To hear this in
its perfection, one must listen for IL in
May and June; for this finch has not the
enduring vocal qualities that endear his
cousin, the song sparrow, and give us the
perpetual hope that we may hear his voice
in every month Of the years. hope that is
usually fulfilled. The fincacs that have
wintered with us begin to MARBLE little
in late March, and the same partial song
may be heard in October, after the mott;
but the song that suddenly bursts into
exuberance, rendering him one OF our
most conspicuous songsters and recalling
many notes OF the English chaffinch, be-
longs to the nesting season.
1t is almost impossible to render the
song OF bird in syllables so that 1t sp-
pesls to any number OF people; for, as bird
music is phrased according to the natural,
not the artificial key that we associate
with annexation, its translation 10 a
matter Of mood, temperament and accord
between imagination and ear. To me,
when the voice OF the crimson finch bursts
forth in sudden joyousness, 1t cries: "List
to me, list to me, hear me, and I'LL tell you,
you, you'll" There must be, however.
some similarity between these syilablcs
and the song, because more than once, on
endeayoring to name q curiously de-
scribed bird that suspected might be this
finch, the rapid whispering OF these words
has completed the clue, by the inquircrs
exciaiming: AYES, that 10 the way the
song went
Yet, do the best we can to suggest
rhythm OF the song, the music Of 1t. be-
longs to the woods and ields, the sky and
sun, from which we may not separate 1t.
Fofbush says OF IL: "The song OF the
male IL sudden, joyous burst OF melody,
vigorous, but clear and pure, to which no
mere words can do justice. When, filled
with ecstasy, he mounts in air and hangs
with fiuttering wings above the tree
where sits the one who holds his afsec-
lions, his efforts far transcend his ordi-
nary tones, and continuous melody fiows
forth, until, exhausted with his vocal ef-
fort, he sinks to the level Of his spouse in
the trec-top."
These tinches travel at times in fiocks
and are ct all times somew hat gregarious,
and this trait has made them an easy prey
for bird -catchers, and MIR. Forbush tells
US that ''if . bird OF this species is con-
fined in . trap-cage in spring and exposed
in conspicuous place, most Of the purple
finches in the neighborhood may be
trapped. The greater part OF the so-caiied
'linnets' in many localities have been
taken in this way, despite the Law and its
officers, who are on the lookout for the
law breakers. The birds have been cold
in the bird stores or sent to Europe As red
or gray iinnets. This may account for =
local scarcity OF this finch in some places
where it was formerly commons
The purple finch, though, like many
others, it hunts for succuient food, apple
and cherry blossoms in the spring, has .
decided economic value; for, the season
through, it feeds upon orchard and wood
land csterpillars, lice, cankerworms, aud
when these are out OF date 1t consumes
quantities OF the seeds of injurious plants,
including the noxious ragweed.
Wilson (ls29) devotes some space to .
description Of his experience with these
finches as Gagged birds, showing that they
have been captives these many years;
''The purple finches fly at q considerable
height in the air, and their note is single
chink, like that OF the rice bird. They
poasess great boldness and spirit and,
when caught, bite violently and hang by
the bill from your hand, striking with
great fury; but they are soon reconciled to
confinement, and in day or two are quite
at home.
~ kept pair Of these birds upward Of
nine months, to observe their manners.
Both are now a. familiar as il brought up
BY hand from the nest, aud seem to prefer
hemp seed and cherry blossoms TO all
other food. Both male and female,
though not crested, are almost constantly
in the habit OF erecting the feathers Of
their crown. /. They are Q hardy
and vigorour bird. When these
birds are taken in their crimson dress.
and kept in cage until they mott their
feathers, they uniformly change their ap-
pearance and sometimes never after re-
gain their red color Thev ara