C A R D U E L I S. 



703 



the bird is perched on the tree over your head. I 

 have, however, heard some sing in cages with great 

 energy ami animation. On their first arrival in Penn- 

 sylvania, in February, and until early in April, they 

 associate in flocks, frequently assembling in great 

 numbers on the same tree to bask and dress them- 

 selves in the morning sun, singing in concert for 

 half an hour together ; the confused mingling of 

 their notes forming a kind of harmony not at all 

 unpleasant." 



Sir W. Jardine well remarks on this, in a note to 

 his edition of Wilson's work, the resemblance which 

 subsists between the habits of the different Cardueles 

 and those of the true linnets (Linaria), " Every one 

 who has lived much in the country, must have often 

 remarked the common European linnets, in the man- 

 ner above described of the American goldfinch, con- 

 gregating, towards the close of a tine winter's evening, 

 perched on the summit of some bare tree, pluming 

 themselves in the last rays of the sun, chirruping the 

 commencement of their evening song, and then burst- 

 ing simultaneously into one general chorus ; again 

 resuming their single strains, and joining, as if happy, 

 and rejoicing at the termination of their day's em- 

 ployment." M. Audubon has remarked the same 

 trait in their manners, and confirms the resemblance 

 of the notes of the American and European gold- 

 finches. " So much does the song of our goldfinch 

 resemble that of the European species, that whilst in 

 France and England, I have frequently thought, and 

 with pleasure thought, that they were the notes of 

 our own bird which I heard." 



Wilson continues : " About the last of November, 

 and sometimes sooner, they generally leave Penn- 

 sylvania, and proceed to the south ; some, however, 

 are seen even in the midst of the severest winters. 

 Their Might is not direct, but in alternate risings and 

 sinkings; twittering as they fly, at each successive 

 impulse of the wings. During the latter part of sum- 

 mer they are almost constant visitants in our gardens 

 in search of seeds, which they dislodge from the husk 

 with great address, while hanging, frequently head 

 downwards, in the manner of the titmouse. From 

 these circumstances, as well as from their colour, they 

 are very generally known, and pass by various names 

 expressive of their food, colour, &c., such as thistle- 

 bird, lettuce-bird, salad-bird, yellow-bird, &c. * * * 

 They are easily familiarised to confinement, and feed 

 with seeming indifference a few hours after being 

 taken." 



The American goldfinch, it would appear, will not 

 pair so readily with the canary-finch, as the European 

 species does. There are instances of their being 

 kept for many years together, without either showing 

 any disposition to breed. A few cases, however, 

 have occurred of their producing hybrids. 



Hinls of this species were seen by Mr M'Kenzie, 

 in his route across the continent of North America, as 

 far as lat. 54" ; they are numerous in all the Atlantic 

 states north of the Carolinas; abound in Mexico, 

 and are found also in great numbers in the Savannahs 

 of Guaiana. A species pretty closely allied to this 

 is the 



Black-headed or Olivarez Siskin (C. Magcllanica), 

 which also much resembles the aberdevine siskin of 

 Europe ; but may readily be distinguished from all 

 its congeners by having the head entirely black. 

 This species is said to sing finch", but there is nothing 

 very peculiar in its habits to warrant a particular 



description. It inhabits the greater part of South 

 America. 



The aberdevine siskin (C. spimis], has been already 

 noticed in its alphabetical situation in this work ; 

 and the general habits of the true siskins are there 

 pourtrayed. Another European species, the 



Venturon siskin (C. citrinclla'], approximates in 

 form to the canary birds. The bill is rather short, 

 the feet flesh-colour, the plumage of the upper parts 

 yellowish-green, streaked with brown ; the under 

 parts and rump greenish-yellow, brightest about the 

 breast ; the quill and tail feathers blackish, with 

 greenish edges ; tail forked. The female bird is less 

 spotted, and the general shade of colour is lighter. 



The venturon siskin is a pleasing songster, and 

 much sought after in the countries it frequents ; has 

 been thought by some to be the wild stock of the 

 Canary bird, which, however, it is not. It is very 

 common in many parts of the South of Europe, fre- 

 quenting the lower slopes of mountainous districts, 

 especially in Italy, Greece, Turkey, and along the 

 borders of the Mediterranean ; it abounds in Switzer- 

 land and in the Tyrol, but is rare and accidental far- 

 ther to the northward. The nest is usually situate in 

 mountain pine forests, and contains from three to five 

 whitish eggs, speckled more or less with dull brick- 

 red. This species breeds readily with the Canary. 



The Chinese goldfinch, or siskin (C. Sincnm], is a 

 species very common in the Celestial Empire, and in 

 many of the eastern parts of Asia ; not rare in some 

 districts of the Himalaya. This bird is intermediate 

 in form and habits between the true goldfinches and 

 some of the smaller grosbeaks (Coccot/u-austes'), of 

 which the common green grosbeak (C. chloris), or 

 greenfinch, as it is termed, of this country, may be 

 cited as an example. There are several other true 

 siskins inhabiting North and South America, the 

 characters of some of which are not as yet very satis- 

 factorily made out, which arises chiefly from their 

 having hitherto been met with only in winter plumage. 

 Two of these are winter visitants of the United States, 

 namely, 



The Pine siskin (C. pinus). " This little northern 

 stranger," says Wilson, " visits us in the month of 

 November, and seeks the seeds of the black alder on 

 the borders of swamps, creeks, and rivulets. As the 

 weather becomes more severe, and the seeds of the 

 Pinus Canadoisln are fully ripe, these birds collect in 

 larger flocks, and take up their residence, almost ex- 

 clusively among these trees Early in March 



they disappear, either to the north or to the pine 

 woods that cover many lesser ranges of the Alleghany. 

 While here, they are often so tame as to allow you 

 to walk within a few yards of the spot where a whole 

 flock of them are sitting. They flutter among the 

 branches, frequently hanging by the cones, and utter- 

 ing a note almost exactly like that of the" American 

 " goldfinch. I have not a doubt but this bird appears 

 in a richer dress in summer in those places where he 

 breeds, as he has so very great a resemblance to the 

 bird above mentioned, with whose changes we are 

 well acquainted." Its winter plumage is very like 

 that of the European aberdevine siskin, only the 

 crown of the head is not black. The writer of this 

 article once observed several pairs of these birds, and 

 of American goldfinches, in the shop of a bird dealer 

 in London. The other North American species is, 



The Arkansan siskin (C. pmltaiia). This was dis- 

 covered by the naturalists who accompanied Major 



