Vol. XXVII 

 1909 J 



General Notes. 



79 



of the females are plainly to be seen. The present day birds both from 

 New England and old England are very dark and sooty, and in consequence 

 lack these characteristics. The differences can be ascribed to feather 

 soiling in their present sooty environments. 



The following table gives the measurements in millimeters. 



It is seen that the early New England specimens average about the 

 same in size as the present New England specimens, except as regards 

 the bill which averages about 1 mm. larger in the present day bird. The 

 present day English bird averages in wing and tail from 2 to 3 mm. smaller 

 than the present day New England bird. The tarsus is about the same, 

 while the bill corresponds more closely with the bill of the early American 

 bird in being about 1 mm. smaller. In other words it would seem that in 

 the early years of struggle only the more vigorous, larger birds survived 

 and that under favorable conditions the larger size was continued with 

 an added increase in the size of the bill. A larger series may invalidate 

 these conclusions, but they are given for what they are worth. — Charles 

 W. Townsend, M. D., Boston, and John H. Hardy, Jr., Arlington, Mass. 



Mexican Goldfinch in Colorado. — The undersigned has to record the 

 occurrence of a male Mexican Goldfinch (Astragalinus psaltria mexicanus) 

 in Denver on June 30, 1908; the bird was watched for a considerable time 

 feeding in a vacant lot, which is within three blocks of the State Capitol 

 Building, and was as typical and unmistakable as any the writer has ever 

 seen in old Mexico. — W. H. Bergtold, Denver, Colo. 



