FKINGILLID^E. CLXVII. 285 



streaked. L. 5|. W. 3. T. 2^. Northern regions, S. in winter 

 in flocks to Ind. and Penn. (Eu.) Besides the common form a 

 larger var. rostrata Coues (W. 3|-, etc.), with shorter, less acute 

 bill, sometimes ranges S. to 111. and N. Y. (Lat., flaxen.) 

 aa. Crown without red; no dusky spot on chin; some yellow. 



900. A. brews teri Bidgway. No dusky on chin ; rump yellow 

 in 9 ; the $ unknown. L. 5. W. 3. T. 2. Mass., one speci- 

 men known. (To Win. Brewster.) 



477. SPINUS i Boie. (Latin name : " thistle-bird," the thistle 



being a spinous plant.) 



a. Sexes unlike; plumage scarcely or not streaked; adult <? with black on 

 crown, wings and tail ; bill not very acute, without distinct ruff at base. 

 (Astragalinus Cabanis.) 



901. S. tristis (L.) YELLOW BIRD. THISTLE BIRD. AMER- 

 ICAN GOLDFINCH. rich yellow ; rump whitish ; wing bars 

 white; a white spot on each tail feather; 9 more olivaceous; fall 

 plumage pale yellow brown ; young variously buffy, with yellow or 

 not. L. 5. W. 3. T. 2. N. Am., everywhere; notable for its 

 lisping notes and undulating flight. (Lat., sad.) 



aa. Sexes alike; plumage thickly streaked everywhere; no black on head; 

 bill very sharp, with a distinct ruff at base. (Sjnnus.) 



902. S. pinus (Wilson). PINE SISKIN. Plumage streaky brown, 

 suffused with yellow in the breeding season ; bases of quills and 

 tail feathers sulphur yellow. L. 4f. W. 2|. T. 2. N. Am., 

 chiefly N., but liable to appear anywhere. (Lat., pine.) 



478. PLBCTROPHBNAX Stejneger. (7r\r)KTpov, spur; favag, 

 deceiver, the word made in imitation of the old name Plectro- 

 phanes, which is preoccupied.) 



903. P. nivalis (L.). SNOW BUNTING. In breeding season, 

 pure white, with black on back, wings and tail ; bill and feet black ; 

 only the winter plumage usually seen in U. S. ; bill pale, and white 

 of body clouded with clear, warm brown. L. 7. W. 4. T. 3. 

 Northern regions, S. in winter to Ohio R. ; a most beautiful bird. 

 ("w.) (Lat., snowy.) 



479. CALC ARIUS Bechstein. (Lat., calcar, spur.) 



904. C. lapponicus (L.). LAPLAND LONGSPUR. $ with head 

 and throat mostly black ; a chestnut collar; back black and 

 streaky ; whitish below ; outer tail feathers with white ; inner web 

 of outer feather dusky ; legs and feet black ; <J> an( i winter birds 



1 Allied to Spinus is the Goldfinch of Europe (Carduelis carduelis L. ), now nat- 

 uralized in New York, Cambridge, etc. In both sexes, the head ia black and white, 

 crimson anteriorly, the wings and tail black and yellow ; the rump white ; brownish 

 below. Allied also is the Canary, Serinus canarius, a favorite cage-bird. 



