JAN., 1909. BIRDS OF ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN CORY. 



577 



Co., and others have been taken quite regularly at Lake Kosh- 

 konong, especially during winters of heavy snow fall. Here they 

 have never been found except as associated with linaria." (Birds 

 of Wisconsin, 1903, p. 93.) 



Genus ASTRAGAL1NUS Cabanis. 



242. Astragalinus tristis (LiNN.). 

 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. YELLOWBIRD. 

 Spinus tristis (Linn.), A. O. U. Check List, 1895, p. 218. 

 Distr.: United States, east of Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic 

 coast, north to Manitoba and northern Canada, south to the Gulf 

 coast, including Florida and Texas (replaced from Rocky Mountains 

 westward by several subspecies). Breeds from middle United 

 States, Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas, etc., northward. 



Adult male in spring: General plumage, bright yellow; crown, 

 black; wings, black, the secondaries and coverts, tipped with white; 



tail, black, with more or less white 

 on inner webs; upper tail coverts, 

 white. In fall the black cap is 

 absent, and the general plumage is 

 buff y brown above and pale brown- 

 ish white on under parts, with 

 more or less yellowish; head, 

 tinged with yellow. 



Adult female: Upper parts, 

 pale brownish olive; under parts, 

 dull white, tinged with buff on 

 sides and breast, and showing 

 more or less yellow, especially on 

 the throat; wings and tail, dusky; 

 the feathers, with whitish edgings. 



Very young birds are strongly tinged w r ith buffy and the wing 

 feathers edged with tawny buff. 



Length, 4.90 to 5.15; wing, 2.70 to 2.85; tail, 2; bill, .42. 

 The American Goldfinch is an abundant summer resident in Illi- 

 nois and Wisconsin and a few occasionally remain during the winter. 

 The majority arrive from the south about May ist, although a few 

 return much earlier. Adult spring males of this species may be readily 

 recognized by the bright yellow plumage and black wings and tail. 



The song of the male is a musical chee-wee or chee-e-wee, and at 

 times a faint whistle and twitter. The flight is a series of undu- 



American Goldfinch. 



