AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. 
529. Astragalinus tristis. 5% inches. 
These beautiful little creatures are often known as 
Thistle-birds and Wild Canaries, the former name be- 
cause they are often seen on thistles, from the down of 
which their nests are largely made, and the latter name 
because of the sweet canary-like song. Their flight is 
a peculiar series of undulations accompanied by an in- 
termittent twitter. They are very sociable and breed 
usually in communities as well as travel in flocks in 
the winter. Their food is chiefly of seeds and they 
often come to gardens in fall and winter to partake of 
sunflower seeds, these flowers often being raised for the 
sole purpose of furnishing food for the finches in the 
winter. 
Song.—Sweet, prolonged and canary-like; call, a 
musical “tcheer,” and a twittering in flight. 
Nest.—Of thistle down, plant fibres and grasses, in 
forks of bushes. most often willows or alders near 
water. Four or five unmarked, pale bluish eggs. 
Range.—N. A. east of the Rockies; breeds from Vir 
ginia and Missouri north to Labrador; winters in U. 8. 
