346 Birds of Colorado 



This subspecies has been recently eliminated from the Checklist 

 (" Auk," XX., p. 347) as " The characters ascribed to it are mainly due 

 to age or season." It seems to me, however, that the form is undoubtedly 

 an intermediate between A. psaltria and A. mexicanus, and, as 

 was originally pointed out by Coues, as such it is a convenience to 

 retain it. 



Mexican Goldfinch. Astragalus psaltria mexicanus. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 530b— Colorado Records— Cooke 97, p. 213 ; 

 99, p. 187 ; Bergtold 09, p. 79. 



Description. — Closely resembling A. psaltria in size and markings, 

 but the whole of the upper-parts, including the ear-coverts glossy black. 

 Females and yoimg birds not to be distinguished from those of 

 A. psaltria and A. p. arizonce. 



Distribution. — Mexico and southern Texas, accidental in Colorado. 

 In Colorado an example, taken by T. A. Allen, near Denver, was 

 identified by J. A. Allen. Another, not quite typical, with sUght 

 traces of olive-green on the back, obtained by Aiken near Colorado 

 Springs, 4th August, 1898, is in his collection, while Cooke believed 

 that he saw examples near Trinidad in June, 1898. Quite recently 

 Bergtold noticed a typical example of this form in a vacant lot in 

 Denver, and w-atched it for some time on June 30th, 1908, and Frey has 

 taken a male at Salida, August 3rd, now in Mr. Warren's collection. 



Genus SPINUS. 



Small Finches — wing under 3-0 — closely resembling Astragalinus, 

 but with a sUghtly longer and more actutely pointed bill, with concave 

 sides when seen from above ; wing, tail and feet as in Astragalinus ; 

 plumage (in the Colorado species) streaked with yellow at the base of 

 the tail- and wing-feathers. 



The Siskins form a considerable genus, ranging over the greater 

 part of the Old and New Worlds ; only one species ia found in the 

 United States. 



Pine Siskin. Spinus pinus. 



A.O.U. Checkhst no 533— Colorado Records— Allen 72, pp. 149, 162 ; 

 Aiken 72, p. 199 ; Trippe 74, p. 116 ; Henshaw 75, p. 246 ; Scott 79, 

 p. 93 ; Tresz 81, p. 40 ; Drew 81, p. 90 ; 85, p. 16 ; Allen & Brewster 

 83, p. IGl ; Beckham 85, p. 141 ; 87, p. 124 ; Morrison 90, p. 36 ; 

 H, G. Smith 93, p. 244 ; Lowe 94, p. 2(J9 ; Cooke 97, pp. 99, 213 ; 

 DiUe 00, p. 73 ; Keyser 02, p. 199 ; Dille 03, p. 74 ; Henderson 03, 

 p. lOS ; 09, p. 236 ; Gihnan 07, p. 156 ; Warren 08, p. 23 ; 09, p. 16 ; 

 Rockwell 08, p. 171. 



