166 NEW- YORK FAUNA BIRDS. 



GENUS CARDUELIS. Brisson. 



Bill short or moderate, narrower than the head, conical, very stout at the base, straight and 

 compressed: both mandibles acute. The three first quills subequal. and longest. Tail 

 rather short, emarginate. 



THE YELLOW-BIRD, OR AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. 



Carduelis tristis. 



PLATE LXVI. FIG. 151 (Male). 

 (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Fringilla tristis, Lin. 12 eJ. p. 320. 



Golden Finch, Pennani, Arct. Zool. Vol. 2, p. 371 (summer) ; p. 372, Siskin (winter dress). 



Carduelis americana. Bartram, Travels, p. 291. 



F. tristis. Wilson, Am. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 20, pi. 1, fig. 2 (male). Bonaparte, Ann. Lye. Vol.2, p. Ill, and 



Am. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 57, pi. 6, fig. 4 (female). Audubon, fol. pi. 23. 

 American Goldfinch. Nuttall, Man. Orn. Vol. 1, p. 507. 

 Carduelis americana. Rich. & Swainson, F. B. A. Vol. 2, p. 268. Kirtland, Ohio Rep. p. 164. Peabodv, 



Mass. Rep. p. 326. 

 Chrysometris. Bonaparte, Geog. and Comp. List, p. 33. 

 Carduelis tristis. Audubon, B. of Am. Vol. 3, p. 129, pi. 181. Giraud, Birds of Long island, p. 117. 



Characteristics. Yellow. Wings black, varied with white : tail-feathers interiorly white 

 towards the tips. Head black. Female and young ; head and all the 

 body above brownish olive ; beneath yellowish white. Length, 4j 

 inches. 



Description. Bill moderately slender, sinuate on the edges. Second primary longest, 

 and subequal with the third. Tail deeply emarginate, 0'8 longer than the tips of the closed 

 wings. 



Color. Summer: Bright lemon-yellow, except the head, wings and tail. Summit of the 

 head black : greater wing-coverts tipped with yellowish white, exhibiting two whitish bands ; 

 quills edged with whitish. Winter : Head yellow olive ; back reddish drab ; shoulder and 

 throat yellow : beneath soiled brownish white. Female, brownish olive ; beneath yellowish 

 white. 



Length, 4-5-5-0. Alar extent, 8-0-8-3. 



This well known bird is found in this State at all seasons of the year. It feeds on various 

 oily seeds, particularly of the sunflower, lettuce, thistle, etc. The nest is made on trees or 

 tall bushes, containing pure white eggs, according to Audubon with reddish brown spots at 

 the lower end. This bird is often kept in cages for its song. Its geographical range extends 

 from the tropics to the fur countries, or to the 60th parallel ; breeding throughout that dis- 

 tance. It has been observed near the Columbia river. 



