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. 



THIS 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, 



