Species VIII. FRINGILLA PINUS. 



PINE FINCH. 



[Plate XVII. Fig. 1.] 



This little northern stranger visits us in the month of November, and 

 seeks the seeds of the black alder, on the borders of swamps, creeks and 

 rivulets. As the weather becomes more severe, and the seeds of the 

 Pinus canadensis are fully ripe, these birds collect in larger flocks and 

 take up their residence, almost exclusively, among these trees. In the 

 gardens of Bush-hill, in the neighborhood of Philadelphia, a flock of two 

 or three hundred of these birds have regularly wintered many years ; 

 where a noble avenue of pine trees, and walks covered with fine white 

 gravel, furnish them with abundance through the winter. Early in 

 March they disappear, either to the north, or to the pine woods that 

 cover many lesser ranges of the Alleghany. While here they are often 

 so tame as to allow you to walk within a few yards of the spot where a 

 whole flock of them are sitting. They flutter among the branches, fre- 

 quently hanging by the cones, and uttering a note almost exactly like 

 that of the Goldfinch [F. tristis). I have not a doubt but this bird ap- 

 pears in a richer dress in summer in those places where he breeds, as 

 he has so very great a resemblance to the bird above mentioned, with 

 whose changes we are well acquainted. 



The length of this species is four inches, breadth eight inches ; upper 

 part of the head, the neck and back, a dark flaxen color, streaked with 

 black ; wings black, marked with two rows of dull white or cream color ; 

 whole wing quills, under the coverts, rich yellow, appearing even when 

 the wings are shut ; rump and tail coverts yellowish, streaked with dark 

 brown ; tail feathers rich yellow from the roots half way to the tips, 

 except the two middle ones, which are blackish brown, slightly edged 

 with yellow ; sides under the wings of a cream color, with long streaks 

 of black ; breast a light flaxen color, with small streaks or pointed spots 

 of black ; legs purplish brown ; bill a dull horn color ; eyes hazel. The 

 female was scarcely distinguishable by its plumage from the male. The 

 New York Siskin of Pennant* appears to be only the Yellow-bird [Frin- 

 gilla tristis) in his winter dress. 



* Arct. Zool. p. 372. No. 243. 



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