436 



ANIMAL LIFE IN THE YOSEMITE 



Goldfinch extends to the bases of the feathers, but not to the tips, whereas 

 in the Willow Goldfinch the white extends to the tips of the feathers but 

 not to their bases. (See fig. 53.) In the Lawrence Goldfinch the white 

 is confined to the middle of the feathers, reaching neither bases nor tips. 

 Sharp observation of the birds is necessary to determine these points, 

 and the marks on the tail are to be seen satisfactorily only when a bird 

 is in flight. There are other characters, however, upon which to depend 

 for identification of the goldfinches. 



The Green-backed Goldfinch never shows any yellow on the wing, 

 whereas the Lawrence Goldfinch always shows this color in considerable 

 amount. The male Green-backed Goldfinch is quite dark colored above, 

 darker than the males of either of the other two species. It never has 

 the black chin which characterizes the Lawrence Goldfinch. The female 

 Green-backed Goldfinch is merely greenish, with the upper surface brown- 

 tinged; and she lacks prominently contrasted markings of any sort. 



Fig. 53. Tails of the (a) Willow, (h) Green-backed, and (c) LawTenee goldfinches, 

 and (d) Pine Siskin; natural size. The distribution of white (clear) is diagnostic 

 in the three Goldfinches; the Siskin has yellow (sparse shading) at base of tail. These 

 differences can often be made out when the birds are in flight. 



We found Green-backed Goldfinches common in the lowlands and foot- 

 hills, for example, at Snelling, Lagrange, and El Portal ; and on June 24, 

 1915, two were noted in Yosemite Valley. By the end of July the same 

 year the species had become common on the floor of the Valley, due no 

 doubt to an up-mountain migration of birds which had nested earlier in 

 the season at the lower levels to the west. On August 19, 1915, fully 15 

 of the birds were seen on the north side near Yosemite Falls and on 

 September 5 two were noted near the Kenneyville stables. In 1920 indi- 

 vidual birds were in the Valley as late as October 24 (C. W. Michael, 

 MS). East of the Sierras the seasonal status of the Green-backed Gold- 

 finch is not definitely known. It was already present in May, and con- 

 tinued there as late as September 20 (1915) ; but that the birds continue 

 through the winter in that region is doubtful. Eighteen individuals were 

 seen near Williams Butte during an hour's census on the morning of 

 September 18, 1915. 



