PINE SISKIN 447 



of western and southern Mexico from western Chihuahua (Pacheco) 

 south to Michoacdn (Cerro de Tancitaro, Cerro Moluca), Mexico 

 (Mount Popocatepetl), and central western Veracruz (Las Vigas). 

 Wanders locally in vicinity of breeding range. 



SPINUS TRISTIS TRISTIS (Linnaeus) 



Eastern American Goldfinch 



PLATES 24 AND 25 



Contributed by Winsor Marrett Tyler 



Habits 



The eastern goldfinch belongs to a group of small, short tailed 

 finches which includes the other American goldfinches and the siskins. 

 These birds are closely related to the redpolls (Acanthis) and have 

 traits in common; they collect in flocks during most of the year and 

 constantly give their characteristic notes as they fly restlessly from 

 place to place. They give the impression of being high-spirited 

 birds, always happy and fuU of gaiety. 



Bradford Torrey (1885) paints this picture of the goldfinch: "Our 

 American goldfinch is one of the loveliest of birds. With his elegant 

 plumage, his rhythmical, undulatory flight, his beautiful song, and 

 his more beautiful soul, he ought to be one of the best beloved, if 

 not one of the most famous; but he has never yet had half his deserts. 

 He is like the chickadee, and yet different. He is not so extremely 

 confiding, nor should I call him merry. But he is always cheerful, 

 in spite of his so-called plaintive note, from which he gets one of his 

 names, and always amiable. So far as I know, he never utters a 

 harsh sound; even the young ones, asking for food, use only smooth, 

 musical tones. During the pairing season his delight often becomes 

 rapturous. To see him then, hovering and singing — or, better still, 

 to see the devoted pair hovering together, billing and singing — is 

 enough to do even a cynic good." Roger T. Peterson (1935) says: 

 "The responsibilities of life seem to rest Hghtly on the Goldfinch's 

 sunny shoulders." 



Spring. — Spring is not the goldfinch's spring, in the sense that 

 spring is the beginning of a breeding season, because the goldfinch 

 does not build its nest until summer is well advanced when many of 

 its favorite plants have gone to seed. 



Francis Beach White (1937) speaks thus of their arrival in Concord, 

 N.H.: "On arrival in the spring, flocks great or small are likely to 

 cluster in the foliage of large trees, and singing goes on by the hour; 

 one of these flocks was estimated at a hundred birds. In June 

 pairs are seen, and the undulations in flight develop till they give the 

 effect of a bouncing ball. On July 7th, a male gave forth a torrent 



