BLACK-HEADED SISKIN 59 
inconspicuous protective colouring, sharp wedge-like 
bodies, and swift mouse-like motions on the ground. 
In marshy places on the pampas, abounding with 
long aquatic grasses and reed-beds, the Red-bill 
still maintains its existence, but from its old habitat 
on the open grassy plains, where it was once the 
dominant Finch, it has utterly vanished. 
BLACK-HEADED SISKIN 
Chrysomitris icterica 
Above light olive-green ; wings black, a broad bright yellow band 
across the base of the feathers; rump yellow; upper tail-coverts 
olive-green ; tail-feathers yellow at the base and black at the ends; 
head and throat velvety black ; beneath and under wing-coverts bright 
yellow ; length 5 inches. Female without the black head. 
Tuis beautiful little golden-plumaged Finch, the 
male distinguished from his consort by a brighter 
yellow colour and a black head, is common through- 
out the entire length of the Argentine country from 
Brazil to Patagonia. In the Buenos-Ayrean district 
it probably has a partial migration, as small flocks 
are seen to arrive in spring; but further south, in 
Patagonia, it appears to be strictly resident. In 
settled districts they are always more abundant than 
in the woods, and they have a special predilection 
for poplar groves, and always prefer a poplar to 
build in. They go in small flocks, seldom more 
than about a dozen birds together, have a rapid, 
