SPRING ARRIVAL OF THE BIRDS. 37 



probably a majority of the empty nests, disclosed 

 by the falling of the leaves in autumn, are those 

 of the gold finches. These are more frequently in 

 the smaller maples, and are fastened in the forks of 

 slender branches. 



We have few handsomer birds ; the male is lemon 

 color on the upper part of the body, a little paler 

 beneath ; the crown is jet black ; the wings and tail 

 are also nearly black, the former streaked, and the lat- 

 ter spotted with white. The female lacks the bright 

 yellow, but is olive green, with many markings. One 

 peculiarity of the gold finches is the undulating flight 

 in long graceful curves ; at each rise of which they 

 utter a few soft musical notes like " we teeter, we teeter." 

 They have a great variety of songs, none brilliant, but 

 all sweet and pleasing. They have also many calls or 

 conversational notes, much like those of the canaries, 

 which in many respects they resemble. 



Until millions of these innocent creatures fell a prey 

 to the murdering plumage gatherers, they were very 

 tame and confiding, and showed little fear of man. I 

 have picked many a one from the head of a thistle or 

 sunflower while it was eating the seeds, and after a 

 minute or two when I let it go, it seldom showed itself 

 much disturbed by such transient captivity. On one 

 occasion the little creature immediately returned to the 

 sunflower, when I captured it a second time. 



Close to the house stood a small black cherry tree. 

 Three years in succession a pair of these birds nested 

 in it. I am confident it was the same pair — at least 



