63 

 THE YELLOW BIRD, 



OR AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. 



Carduelis Americana. 



Description. The length of this lively nttle bird 

 is only four and a half to four and three-quarter inches. 

 They change their feathers twice a year. In the winter 

 their prevailing color is a kind of olive-green, which 

 in the summer they change into a much more beautiful 

 plumage — viz., top of head, wing and tail, black ; back, 

 rump, breast, and belly, bright yellow. The prevailing 

 color of the female is a muddy gray. 



This beautiful bird is found all over the United States, 

 and lives on all kinds of small seed. In cages they are 

 generally fed on yellow-bird seed, but will live on a 

 mixture of canary, millet and poppy seed just as well ; 

 to whfch may be added a little green food occasionally. 

 They must have gravel in the bottom of their cage, and 

 water for bathing. Their song is very limited, yet its 

 lively appearance and beautiful plumage renders him a 

 favorite cage bird. 



SOUTH AMERICAN TROOPICAL. 



This richly plumaged bird presents a similar ap- 

 pearance to the Baltimore Oriole, or, what is called in 

 the Northern States, Golden Robin. The chief difference 



