23G BIRDS OF ILLINOIS. 



Spinus tristis (Linn.) 



AMEBICAN QOLSnNCH. 



Popular synonymB. Yellow-bird; Lfttuoe-blrd: Sulml-Lilrtl: Thlstle-blrJ; Bliiok-whiK''tl 

 Yollow-blril; Bliick-capped Yollow-blrd. 



Friugilla Iri^tis LiNN. S. N. ed. 10. 1.1718. 181: od. 12. 1. 170G 32«.-Wil.8. Am. Orn. I. \»«. 



•Ji. pi. 1. IIk. i-AuD. Orn. BIok. 1. ISU. 172; v. Mil. pi. 33.— Nutt. .Man. 1. \<f2. HI7. 

 Vardui'lis IrisliK Up. l&a.— AuD. Synup. 1S39. IKi; U. Am. lii 1H41. 129. pi. INl. 

 Chrusoiiiilris trislis Bp. 1838.— B.tiuu. B. N. Am. 1«M. 421; Cat. N. Am. B. 1»M». No. 3i:i. 



CoUEH. Key. 18?J. 131; Clieek LiKt. 1S73. No. U9; B. N. W. 1x74. llti.-B. 1). & It. HlHt. 



N. Am. B. I. 1874. 471. pi. 22 11».'H. 7.8. 

 Aslravalhiun Irislis Cab. Muh. Hi>1ii. 1851. l.'.9.-ltiDow. Nom. N. Am. B. 1S81. No. 181. 



— CoUEH. 2d Check List. 1882, No. 21:1. 

 Si)iuu9 Iri.ilia Btkjn. Auk. 1. 1884. :it;2. 



Hab. Wliole of tempemto North America, breeding nearly throughout its range. 



•'8p. Chau. Ma'e. Bright Kaml)oKe-yellow; orown, wings, and tail lilack. Lesser 

 wing-eovert.s, band aiToss the end of greater ones, ends of secondaries and tertlarles, 

 inner margins of tail-feathers, upper and under tail-coverts and tibia white. Length, 

 5.25 inches; wing. 3.(10. Feinalf. Y'cllowisli gray above; greenish yellow below. No 

 biaek on forehead. Wing and tail much as in the male. Young. Keddlsh olive above; 

 fulvous yellow below, two broad bamls across coverts and broad edges to last half of 

 secondaries pale rufous. 



"In winter the yellow is replaced by a yellowish brown; the black of the crown want- 

 ing, that of wings and tail browner. The throat is generally yellowish; the under parts 

 ashy brown passing bcliind intu white." ijfisl. X Am. H.) 



Found abuatlantly throughout temperate North America, familiar 

 in habits, and conspicuous in pUimage, it is no wonder that the 

 American Goldfinch is one of our best known birds. Known famil- 

 iarly as Yellow-bird, Lettuce-bird, or Garden-bird, he is present 

 with us at all seasons of the year, although there are many times 

 when none are to be seen. In the fall the male loses his beautiful 

 lemon-yellow plumage and assumes a sombre garb like that of the 

 female, which he wears until the succeeding spring, when the rich 

 colors of summer ai'e resumed very gradually, the change commenc- 

 ing in April and continuing until the summer is at hand, before all 

 traces of the wintev dress are lost. The Goldfinch is one of the 

 latest of our birds to commence breeding, it being usually after the 

 first of July, in the more eastern States,* before their nests arc con- 

 structed ; and some broods of young first leave their nest in Sep- 

 tember. This late breeding, as Dr. Brewer suggests, is probably due 

 to the scarcity of inoper food ior the young during the early part 

 of summer. 



♦ At Sacramento, California, liowevcr. I found this species breeding very abundantly 

 during the month of June, nests with fresh eggs being taken from the 6th to the 28th of 

 the month, 



