FINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 323 



ear coverts, and back solid glossy black, wings and tail heavily marked 

 with clear white. Adult female : similar to 

 psaltria and arizome. Male: length (skins) 

 3.85-4.30 wing, 2.44-2.70, tail 1.50-1.75, bill 

 .37-.42. Female: length (skins) 4.01-4.19, 

 wing 2.40-2.58, tail 1.50-1.61), bill .35-.40. ^'S- ^'^- ^^^^^<^^^ Goldfinch. 



Distribution. — South from central Texas through Mexico, except ex- 

 treme northwestern and southern parts ; accidental in Colorado. 



531. Astragalinus lawrencei (Cass.). Lawrence Goldfinch. 



Adult male. — Face and throat as ivell as crown black; median iinder 

 parts yellow, surrounded by gray ; rump and 

 wings washed with greenish yellow. Adidt 



female : similar to male, but without black on 



head or throat, and colors duller. In winter : yjg^ 403_ 



both sexes colored as in summer, but colors 



more subdued. Young : similar to adult female, but duller, and lower 



parts indistinctly streaked. Male: length (skins) 3.92-4.(i('), wing 2.61- 



2.76, tail 1.81-2.00, bill .31-33. Female: length (skins) 4.04-4.50, wing 



2.48-2.64. tail 1.6&-1.87, bill .31-.35. 



Distribution. — Breeds in Upper and Lower Sonoran zones from about 

 latitude 40^ in California, west of the Sierra Nevada, south to Lower Cali- 

 fornia ; occurs during winter in southwestern Arizona and New Mexico. 



Eggs. — Pure white. 



Food. — Largely weed seed, including that of the Russian thistle. 



In Los Angeles County, California, Mr. Grinncll says lawrencei is 

 found mainly on the mesa, in the mountain canyons, and pine for- 

 ests below 6000 feet. From December until the last of ]\Iarch small 

 flocks feed in weed patches along the banks of the arroyos. 



GENUS SPINUS. 



533. Spinus pinus {Wih.). Pine Siskin: Pine Finch. 



Siiuilur to Astragalinus. but plumage streaked gray and brown, without 

 yellow or black except for yellow patches on wings and tail. .Idults : 

 whole body finely streaked with brown, on brownish 

 ground above, on whitish below ; basal jjortions of seconda- 

 ries and tail feathers sulphur fiellow. Young: upper parts 

 mustard yellow, tinged with brownish olive, feathers 

 streaked, except on l)ellv ; wing bands and patches brown. 

 Male: length (skins) 4.2U-4.85, wing 2.72-3.00, tail 1.57- 

 1.8;j, bill .3S-.44. Femah-: length (.skins) 4.23-5.14. wing ^'g -^O^- 

 2.<*,3-2.07, tail 1.60-l.si. bill .;',«.»- 47. 



Remarks. — Th»» siskin is easily recognized in the field, as the yellow 

 wing and tail patches show in fiiglit. 



Distribution. — Breeds in Canadian and Hudsonian zone forests in the 

 njountains of western North America, also in the northeastern Ihiited 

 Stat«'s ; may occur in winter in almo.st any part of the United States and 

 Mexico. 



Nest. — In coniferous trees, usually rather flat, of fine twigs, rootlets, 

 and plant fibers, lined with fine rootlets and li.air. Eggs: usually 3 or 4, 

 pale gretMiish Idiie, speckled, chiefly around the larger end, with reddish 

 brown, usually with a few small black markings. 



