APPENDIX. 473 



notes, habits, or general appearance. It is true that A. I. rostrata 

 may be often recognized by its superior size, but the birds as a rule 

 are so nervous and restless, and when in large flocks so constantly 

 in motion and so likely to depart altogether at any moment, that 

 a free use of the gun is ordinarily indispensable to positive identi- 

 fication. 



CARDUELIS CARDUELIS. European Goldfinch. 



This species, originally introduced from Europe, has apparently 

 succeeded in establishing itself in the region about Boston, and per- 

 haps, also, in other parts of southern New England ; but it is still 

 a very rare bird with us, although it breeds regularly and not un- 

 commonly in Central Park, New York City. It is quite as likely 

 to be seen in winter as at other times of the year, and does not 

 appear to leave us during even the coldest seasons. 



CALCARIUS ORNATUS. Chestnut-collared Longspur. 



This is an accidental visitor from the West, known to have oc- 

 curred but once in New England, at Magnolia (near Gloucester), 

 Massachusetts, where an adult male was shot by Dr. Charles W. 

 Townsend, July 28, 1876 (Brewer, Bull. N. O. C., Vol. II, 1877, p. 

 78). 



AMMODRAMUS CAUDACUTUS NELSONI. Nelson's Sharp-tailed 

 Sparrow. 



AMMODRAMUS CAUDACUTUS SUBVIRGATUS. Acadian Sharp- 

 tailed Sparrow. 



A. c. nelsoni. Smaller than caudacutus, the bill shorter and 

 usually slenderer ; the general coloring much richer and more 

 varied ; the buffy of the head, etc., deeper ; the light edges of the 

 dorsal feathers whiter ; the dark streaks on the lower parts finer, 

 duller, and less numerous ; the abdomen clearer white in strong con- 

 trast with the rich ochraceous buffy of the chest and sides. 



A. c. subvirgatus. Intermediate in size between caudacutus 

 and nelsoni ; the upper parts colored somewhat as in the former, but 

 paler and grayer ; the lower parts streaked sparsely as in nelsoni, 

 but the streaks broader and pale greenish gray, instead of dusky or 

 blackish. 



At the time Mr. Minot's book was written neither of these forms 

 was known to occur in New England. Indeed, only one of them 

 (nelsoni) had been then recognized and described. Their respective 



