Norwich bulletin., 1911-03-11
Q|UAlI HI
The Evening Grosbeal Its Dress and Address -Pedi- gree -Conaeners Housekeeping Its Iranscontinen- tai Tours Its Trip Down the Qunebaua.


 April 1. 1890. in New York. It is z long mark forward in the public atti- tude towards birds that few will now be welcomed with g charge of No. II shot.
 Audubon's glowing account of first
 estnH n faa a ossn ssoe.n sneaa % fY sut sins s ten to this nowery description of the dress of the evening grosbeak by pr. Elliot Coues: A bird of diDt1nguished appearance, whose very name sug- gests the far-away land Of the dip- whieh plns su the Miid n bird % throws around the fading light of day; clothed in striking color contrasts of black. white and gold, he seems to represent tho alle- gOry of dfurnal transmutation:~ for his sable pinions close around the bright ness of his vesture, as night encom- passes the golden hues of sunset.while the clear white space enfolded in these tints foretells the dawn Of the mor- row"
 It is far cry from the Pines of Oregon and Washington to the elns and naples of Norwich. But drawn from the far-away forests by an ire sistib1e impulse. a band of these beau tiful birds have been making a long visit in town, apparently pleased with their surroundings. This company was first reported by teamsters as e "nock of 50 unknown birds feeding on sugar maple trees" near Hatchet pond in Worcester county. the source of the Quinebzug. early in December. From there they went six miles due east to Southbridge, Mass, where my core spondents and many others saw them at work on the maple trees, but busiest on the mountain ash trees. Then next we find them in two divisions-one of twenty birds six miles southeast at the Potter homestead-in the English Neighborhood, North Woodstock, Conn. This place is surrounded by naples and was found most suitable for a rest of week. Mrs. Potter paid much at tentfon to the new arrivals and on the 20th of December was certain that they were evening grosbeakS. Miss Sarah Potter and Miss Mary Potter, school teachers, were home on the 23d,
 24th and 18th of December, and with powerful glasses confirmed Mrs. Pot
 ter,s opinion. 1t was an excellent ob- ject lesson to these teachers and their
 pupils may get grain of knowledge
 birdwise from 1t. Again, two miles to the southeast, had glimpse of few and of the same scouts or others pick ing the few berries on the two noun tain ash trees in front of the public
 hall at Village Corners.
 One body of twenty, struggling in
 groups through the village, directly
 east, came in a bunch for short stay to the Morse barn, where they were easily identified, and to the John May farm, East woodstock where Mrs May made hospitabls attempts to feed the handsome strangers. A division was seen by the Lindermans and John sons near the Putnam turnpike, six miles south. and, still moving south along the river valley toward Lisbon a detachment seen by R. F. D. men an6 farmers en route reached Taftvi1le, al the mouth of the Quinebaug, forty miles from Woodstock about Feb. 18th where, later, the two divisions came to- gether. In this pleasant place they ap- pear to find things much to their Hk- ing, act as if settled for a long stay are not bit wild or shy, are the won-
 der and admiration of many people, and are under the special surveillance oi F. J. Working, principal of the We uuonnoc school I quote from one oi
 MT. Workings late letters: T am in- terested in birds and I am trying tc make others interested in them, too The grosbeaks are still with us. They
 came Feb. 18th. Perhaps should have said the advance guard came on tha date, for the numbers have increased l until now we have forty eight clever I of them adult males. We are certainly l having the treat of our lives. wisi you might see them. too" Mr. wer- 1 king will reply to all inquiries abou l p1umaga, favorite trees, food, play, son, and time of departure. The pupils O
 the Woodstock and Wequonnoc school should be well up on grosbeak lore They will welcome the rosy breas l about May day, the piney next winter
 or the winter after next, and. possi | ply. some thirty years from now ono, again be on intimate terms with tn grosbeak, to which we bid a 1ony 1 y-Hespherophona vespertina. tn bird of generation. c. L. R.