354 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— PASSEEES— OSCINES. 



shorter. Tarsus about as long as middle toe with claw; lateral toes of equal lengths, their 

 claws reaching base of middle claw ; hind claw shorter than its digit. Everywhere thickly 

 streaked. No red. Sexes alike. Habit gregarious. Nest in trees. Eggs speckled. 

 212. C. pi'uus. (Lat. pinus, a pine. Fig. 218.) Pine Linnet. Pine Finch. American Sis- 

 kin. ^ 9 , adult : Continuously streaked, above with dusky or dark olivaceous-browu and 

 flaxen or whitish, below with dusky and whitish, the wliole body usually suffused with yellowish, 



most evident on tlie rump. Wings dusky, the basal 

 portion of all the quills and their inner webs for some 

 distance sulphury-yellow, usually showing externally 

 as a spot just beyond the coverts, sometimes restricted 

 and hidden. Outer webs of the quills also narrowly 

 edged with yellow, separated from the basal yellow 

 ji^gii*;^,^^ — ^ _j^ — '^^''^.liJIi ■ pi^itch by a blackish interval. Tail dusky, its basal 

 :'''5^^§^i°or'in »^ — ^1^ half yellow, and outer webs edged with yellow. BiU 

 and feet brown. Length about 4.75; extent 8.75; 

 wing 3.75; tail 1.75. Very variable in yellowness of 

 tone, sometimes quite bright, again plain streaky, 

 dusky and whitish or flaxen ; but the yellow colora- 

 tion of the wings and tail is distinctive. Young birds 



f^j have the markings diffuse, with a general buffy- 



riG.2i8.-PhteFin;h,red!!ed. (Sheppard brownish suffusion. N. Am. at large, breeding 

 del. Nichols sc.) northerly, ranging in flocks in the winter through 



most of the U. S., abundant. Nest high in trees, preferably conifers; eggs pale greenish, 

 speckled with brown ; about 0.70 X 0.50. Flight undulatory ; voice querulous. 

 71. ASTRAGALI 'NUS. (Gr. da-TpayaXlvos, astragalinos, name of some bird.) American Gold- 

 finches. Like Chrysomitris. Bill stouter, less acuminate, without extreme lateral com- 

 pression, culmen rather convex, gonys quite straight ; commissure strongly angulated ; upper 

 mandible usually showing longitudinal striae. Nasal ruff evident, though short. Wings and 

 tail as in Chrysomitris; feet smaller ; toes shorter ; lateral digits of unequal lengths ; outer claw 

 rather overreaching, inner not reaching, base of middle claw. Coloration massed, not streaky ; 

 yellow, olive, black and white, no red. Sexes unlike. Eees white. 



Analysis of Species- 

 cf yellow (in summer) with black cap, wings and tail, the 



two latter white-marked (Eastern) .... tristis 213 'AX^^^lfc \ 



cf gray, varied with yellow on back, breast, and wings, ( \\, 



with black face, wings, and tail, latter white-marked '"^^A 



(Western) laicrencii 214 V^All|fflHHRHHE?'*^''''''f # 



(f above olive or black, or mixed with both ; yellow below ; •*i^^HmulHP'^Bffi3^^y f' P^ 

 wings and tail black, white-marked (Western). 



Back olive ; crown black, not below eyes ; large white yvmcsm'-^zii'S^sis^K^m^^ 



tail-spots psaltria 215 v.mMat.^^ail^^^fc&M,, 



Back mixed olive and black ; crown black; moderate .^BSiw^ ~'^s^^^k.^mvrOf^ 



white tail-spots arizonce 216 ^■^^P/ii:; t V ^^^^^."('C^ 



Back anil crown black, to below eyes; small white 



tail-spots mexicanus 217 J^MI^^^'^/^^I^^^^M 



(f yellow, with black yellow-spaced wings and tail, and ^ ' 



whole head black. (Mexico, etc ) notatus 218 -^ ■ ^ / / K-\;^^ts^MUttMim,W'%wr <{ ' 



313. A. tris'tis. (Lat. ins^is, sad ; from its note. Fig. 219.) ''(\if^^''TV^}^*^|T'^ 



American Goldfinch. Yellow-bird. Thistle- ■^-''.^..-i==^=rf^r*\\^^'(C' 



BIRD. (J, in summer: Rich yellow, changing to piQ. 219 -American (aoidhuch, d", m 



whitish on the tail-coverts; a black patch on the summer, reduced. (Sheppard del. Kicholsac.) 



crown; wings black, more or less edged with white; lesser wing-coverts white or yellow; 

 greater coverts tipped with white ; tail black, every feather with a white spot ; bill and feet 



