FEINGILLID^ — THE FINCHES. 239 



The Pine Goldfinch, or Pine Siskin, inhabits during summer the 

 northern coniferous forests, but in -ninter visits the milder climates 

 of the United States, its migration extending to the northern dis- 

 tricts of the Gulf States, if not to the shores of the Gulf itself. Its 

 appearance in a given locality is irregular and uncertain, to about 

 the same degree as that of the Purple Finch. In spring, large 

 flocks may be seen feeding upon the tender buds of apple, elm, and 

 other trees, either alone or in company with the Purple Finch. 



The nest of the Pine Goldfinch, as observed at Sing Sing, New 

 York, is thus described by Dr. A. K. Fisher, in the "Nuttall Bul- 

 letin" for July, 1883, pp. 180, 181: 



"On May 25 I secured the nest. It was situated about two feet 

 from the top of the tree, and about twenty-four from the ground. 

 It contained four nearly fresh eggs. The nest proper, or outside 

 part, is a frail affair, the hning making up the bulk of the nest. 

 The outer part is made up of fine twigs from the Norway spruce, 

 loosely placed together, a few rootlets and pieces of string being 

 interwoven. The lining is very compact, made up of hemp-hke 

 material, horse-hairs, bits of thread, feathers, rootlets, and hke 

 substances. The nest measures eight centimeters in breadth by five 

 centimeters in depth. The ground work of the eggs is of a light 

 blue-green, the spots, which are numerous and somewhat confluent 

 on the' larger end, are of a hght brown-lilac color. A few large and 

 solitary spots of dark brown are dispersed sparingly over the 

 greater part of the egg, diminishing in size towards the smaller end. 

 One egg was unfortunately broken ; the others measure as follows : 

 12^x16 mm. 12^xl6imm, 12 x 17mm." 



Genus PLECTROPHENAX Stejneger. 



Fleclrophanes Kaup. Entw. Eur. Thierw. 1829, 138 {nee Metek. 1815). Type, EmberUa 



nivalis Linn. 

 Plectrophenax Stejn. Proe. U. S. Nat. Miis. v, 1882, 33. Same type. 



Gen. Chae. Bill conical; the lower mandible higher than the upper, the sides of 

 both mandibles guarded by a closely applied brush ot stiffened bristly feathers directed 

 forwards, and on the upper jaw concealing the nostrils; the outlines of the bill nearly 

 straight or sUghtly curved; the lower jaw considerably broader at the base than the 

 upper, and wider than the gonys is long. Tarsi considerably longer than the middle toe; 

 the lateral toes nearly equal (the inner claw largest), and reaching to the base ot the 

 middle claw. The hinder claw very long, moderately curved and acute, considerably 

 longer than its toe; the toe and claw together reaching to the middle of the middle 

 claw, or beyond its tip. Wings very long and much pointed, reaching nearly to the end 

 of the tail; the first quill longest; the others rapidly graduated; the tertiaries a little 

 longer than the secondaries. Tail moderate, about two thirds as long as the wings; 

 nearly even, or slightly emarginated. 



