FRINGILLA TRISTIS. 



FEMALE AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.* 



[Plate VI. Fig. 4.] 



Fringilla tristis, Linn. Si/st. i., p. 320, Sp. 12, Male. — Gmel. Si/st. i., p. 907, Sp. 

 12. Lath. Ind. p. 452, Sp. 64. Vieill. JS^ouv. Diet, d' Hist. Nat. xii., p. 167. — 

 Fringilla spinus, var. y Gmel. Syst. i., p. 914, Sp. 25, Male, in winter plumage. — 

 Cardudis Americana, Briss. Av. hi., p. 64, Sp. 3. — Carduelis Aniericanus, the 

 American Goldfinch, Catesby, Carolina, i., p. 43, pi. 43, Male in spring dress. 

 Bartr. Trav. p. 291. — Chardonneret jaune. Buff. Ois. iv., p. 212. — Chardonneret 

 du Canada, Buff. PL Enl. 202, fig. 2, Male, in spring dress. — Tarin de la Nou- 

 velle York, Buff. Ois. iv., p. 231. PL EnL 292, fig. 1, Male changing; fig. 2, 

 Male in winter dress. — Golden Finch, Penn. Arct. Zool. Sp. 242. — American Gold- 

 finch, Edwards, Glean, ii., p. 133, pi. 274, Male and Female. — Lath. Syn. ii., 

 Part I., p. 288, Sp. 57. Id. 1st Suppl. p. 166. — Siskin, var. B., Lath. Syn. ii., 

 Part I., p. 291, Sp. 58, Male changing. 



We have been induced by the analogy existing between the preceding 

 new species and this common bird, to figure them as companions on the 

 same plate, that they may be immediately and readily compared. To 

 give the present figure more interest, we have chosen the female, though 

 we might with equal propriety have selected the male in winter plumage, 

 as the latter difi"ers but slightly from its mate during that season. The 

 very great dissimilarity between the sexes in their spring dress, will 

 justify the reappearance of a bird already given by Wilson, more espe- 

 cially as it has, in this state, been mistaken for a distinct species, and 

 most unaccountably arranged in the systems as a variety of the Euro- 

 pean Siskin. 



The history of this bird, which so completely resembles the Goldfinch 

 of Europe in song and habits, being nearly completed by the golden pen 

 of Wilson, we shall not attempt to add any observations of our own, but 

 shall refer the reader to his volume, quoted above, for its biography. 

 As we cannot but observe that his description is short and somewhat 

 imperfect, probably owing to the opinion he at first entertained, but 

 afterwards judiciously relinquished, that a minute description of common 

 birds is superfluous, we shall proceed to describe the species in all its 

 different states. 



The male American Goldfinch in summer dress, represented by Wilson 

 in his first plate, is four and a half inches long, and eight in extent. 

 The bill resembles that of the European Goldfinch, and, as well as the 



* See Wilson's American Ornithology, n., p. 99, pi. 1, fig. 2, for the male, and 

 history. 



(187) 



