BIRDS OF KANSAS. 427 



Spinus pinus (WILS.). 



PINE SISKIN. 

 PLATE XXVII. 



Winter sojourner; not uncommon. Remain until late in the 

 spring. 



B. 317. R. 185. C. 212. G. 90, 209. .U. 533. 



HABITAT. Temperate North America, south in winter to the 

 Gulf States and alpine regions of Yera Cruz. 



SP. CHAR. "Tail deeply forked; above brownish olive; beneath whitish, 

 every feather streaked distinctly with dusky; concealed bases of tail feathers and 

 quills, together with their inner edges, sulphur yellow; outer edges of quills and 

 tail feathers yellowish green; two brownish white bauds on the wings. Sexes 

 alike. Young: Similar, but the white below tinged with yellow, the upper parts 

 with reddish brown, and there are two pale ochraceous bands on the wings." 



Stretch of 

 Length. wing; Wing; Tail. Tarsus. Bill. 



Male 4.90 8.75 2.80 1.90 .55 .40 



Female... 4.75 8.50 2.75 1.80 .55 .40 



Iris dark brown; bill dusky, with basal half of under bluish, 

 sometimes nearly black, with all of basal half bluish; legs, feet 

 and claws dark brown. 



These birds are very similar in habits and actions to the 

 American Goldfinch, but rather more of a bird of the evergreen 

 forests, a little swifter in flight, and their notes and song less 

 loud, with a sharper, clearer ring. 



I have met with the birds in various localities, usually in 

 flocks of from twenty to thirty. In the early part of July, 1880, 

 I had a good opportunity to observe their habits at the Mag- 

 dalen Islands, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. They were evi- 

 dently nesting, as the males were actively singing from the 

 bush and in their circling flights, but my limited time, and de- 

 sire to secure certain specimens, prevented my making a search 

 for their nests. On my return trip, I heard them singing at 

 Percy Rock and at Gaspe. 



They breed from the northern United States (much farther 

 south in the Rocky Mountains) northward throughout the Brit- 

 ish possessions. 



Nest in trees; usually a rather flat though compact structure 

 of fine twigs, rootlets, hair fibers, etc., lined with fine rootlets 



