PASSERES — FRINGILLID^. 139 



species, but it has ceased to be the "Tolerably regular win- 

 ter resident in northern Ohio" that Dr. Wheaton knew. 

 During my ten years' residence in Oberlin I have never 

 seen it, in spite of many winter days spent afield in search 

 for it. The rare occasions when it does cross Lake Erie are 

 notable ones, for then the birds are among the most numer- 

 ous of winter birds. Stragglers may be found occasionally. 

 One was taken by Mr. Charles Dury in January, 1869, at 

 Cincinnati. 



The Redpoll feeds much after the fashion of the Gold- 

 finch, the flock taking possession of a weed and apparently 

 cleaning out the seeds before leaving, twittering all the 

 while. They are not wary and allow a close approach. 



192. (529.) AsTRAGALiNus TRiSTis (Linn.). 90. 

 American Goldfinch. 



Synonyms: Chrysomitris tristis, Pringilla tristis, Carduelis 

 tristis, Spinus tristis. 

 Yellow-bird, Thistle-bird, Lettuce-bird, Salad-bird, Wild 

 Canary. 

 Audubon, Orn. Biog., 1831, 172. 



Goldfinch is one of our commoner birds the year through, 

 but during the colder part of the year — from October to 

 April — he is known as a common sparrow, by the majority 

 of persons, because his bright yellow and deep black dress 

 has given place to drab only tinted with yellow. He has 

 lost his cheerful, rollicking song, also, substituting a con- 

 versational twitter while he feeds or flies. During the more 

 inclement weather flocks of Goldfinches take refuge in the 

 woods, where they feed upon such weed and grass seeds as 

 may be found there in the more open places. At other 

 times they range the fields for food. Goldfinches and Tree 

 Sparrows are frequently found in flocks together, both in 

 woods and open fields. 



The winter food of Goldfinch consists largely of weed 

 and grass seeds taken from standing weeds and grass. In 

 summer and autumn thistle seeds are much in favor, as 

 they are in winter if there are any left. Insects are 



