42 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. 



Genus. GOLDFINCHES Spinus. 

 Small birds, less than seven inches long, with short, point- 

 ed bills, long pointed wings, longer than the rather deeply 

 forked tails. One of our species is bright lemon yellow and 

 black, and one is whitish streaked with brown. 



American Goldfinch. 



Spinus tristis. 

 Plate X, Fig. 2. 



Adult in spring bright lemon yellow, with top of head, 

 wings and tail, black. Wings with a band of white, and the 

 secondaries edged with white, tail feathers also edged with 

 white and there is a spot of white on the inner webs near tips. 

 Bill red. Female greenish, with wings and tail brownish, and 

 with the white markings restricted. No black on top of 

 head. In winter the males are similar to the females, but the 

 wings and tail are not so brown. Young similar to the female 

 but tinged with smoky and rufous. Nestlings quite similar, 

 and contrary to the rule in this family, are not streaked 

 below. 



Dimensions. Length, 5.60; stretch, 9.05 ; wing, 2.85; 

 tail, 1.85 ; bill, .48 ; tarsus, .45. 



Comparisons. Readily known in summer dress by the yel- 

 low and black colors, and in winter by the small size, green- 

 ish color and forked tail. 



Nests and Eggs. Nests placed in trees. They are com- 

 pact structures, composed of fibrous weeds, leaves, and thistle 

 down ; sometimes common cotton or rags are used. They are 

 usually smoothly lined with silvery white thistle down, when 



