594 



SYSTE.MA TIC SYNOPSIS. — PA SSERES — OSCIXES. 



Mexico; N. Lower Califoruia : breeds W. of Sierra Xevadas. Xest and eggs similar to tliose 

 of tristis; eggs smaller, O.tIO X 0.45, 3 to 5 iu immber, pure white or with a creamy tiuge. 



A. psal'tria. (Gr. ylraXTpia. psaUrifi, a lutist 



Fig. 259. — Arkansaw Goldfinch, reduced. (After Au- 

 dubon. ) 



Fig. 259.) Arkansaw Goldfinch. Tar- 

 weed Canary. Adult ^ : Upper parts uui- 

 fnrm (dive-greeo, without any black; below 

 yellow; crown black, ')iot extending below 

 eyes; wings black, most of the quills and 

 greater coverts white-tipped, and primaries 

 white at base : tail black, outermost three 

 pairs of feathers with a long rectangular white 

 spot on inner web. 9 ^''^^ young similar, not 

 so bright ; no black on head ; sometimes, also, 

 no decided white spots on tail. Length 4.25- 

 4.50; wing 2.40; tail 2.00. Plains to the 

 Pacific, U. S., southerly ; N. at least to Ore- 

 gon; S. to Cape St. Lucas. A pretty species, 



nest and eggs similar, latter rather smaller. 



of the same habits as the common Goldfincl 

 0.60 X 0.45. Southward this form passes directly into 



A. p. arizo'nae. (Lat. of Arizona.) ARIZONA Goldfinch. The upper parts mixed olive 

 and black iu about equal amounts; in W. Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, portions of Utah and 

 Nevada, and S. California ; thus leading directly into 



A. p. mexica'nus. (Lat. Mexican. Fig. 260.) Mexican Goldfinch. The u])per parts 

 continuously black, and black of crown extending below eyes, enclosing olive uudrr eyelid. 

 Mexican border and southward. This bird looks 

 quite unlike typical psaltria, but the gradation 

 through arizonce is perfect ; and mexicana, more- 

 over, leads directly into coliimhiana, a Central 

 American form in which the tail-spots are very 

 small or wanting. The females of these several 

 varieties cannot be distinguished with certainty. 

 My original determination of this case may be read 

 in Pr. Philada. Acad. 1866, p. 82. 

 CAKDUE'LIS. (Lat. a thistle-bird, from car- 

 clum, Gr. KapBos, kardos, a thistle.) Old World 

 Goldfinches. Generic characters of Spintts, hut fig. -^f, 



bill exceedingly acute, attenuated to a length nearly ^"^"boii.) 



equalling that of the tarsus, and plumage gaudily variegated with red, yellow, black, and white 

 in both sexes. (Extralimital genus, introduced.) 



C. cardue'lis. EUROPEAN Goldfinch. Adult ^ 9 '■ Head varied with crimson, black, and 

 wliitish ; wings and tail varied with rich yellow, black, and white; back brown, whitening 

 on rump and upper tail-coverts; lower parts whitish, shaded with brown on the sides; bill 

 white. Length 5.00-5.50; wing 3.00; tail 2.00; bill nearly or about 0.50. Young birds 

 lack the crimson red, rich yellow, and pure black ; but this well-known cage-bird can hardly 

 be mistaken in any plumage. Europe, and portions of Asia and Africa ; introduced arti- 

 ficially in the United States, and naturalized to the extent of breeding sometimes, as in New 

 York city and Cambridge, Mass. The nest resembles that of our Giddfinch ; eggs diff'erent, 

 being marked with reddish-brown spots, chiefly at the larger end. on a pale bluish or green- 

 ish ground ; 4-6 in number, 0.70 X 0.50. 



PASSERl'NA. (Lat. pctsfterimis, sjiarrow-like.) Bill vtry small and truly conic, well exhib- 

 iting '• emberizine " or " bunting " characters ; i. e., strong angulation of commissure ; inflected 



Mexican Goldfinch, reduced. (After 



