( 46 ) 

 BLACK-HEADED SISKIN. 



FSINGILLA MAGELLANICA, ViEILL. 

 PLATE CCCXCIV. Male. 



While residing at Henderson, on the Ohio, I, one cold morning 

 in December, observed five males of this species on the heads of some 

 simflovpers in my garden, and, after watching them for a little time, shot 

 ■two of them. The rest rose high in the air, and vrere soon out of sight. 

 Considering the birds very nearly allied to om- Common American 

 Goldfinch, I vpas surprised to find the head black at that season. Their 

 notes resembled those of the Pine Finch, Fringilla pinus, but in their 

 manner of feeding, as well as in their flight, they precisely resembled 

 the American Goldfinch, Fringilla tristis. All my subsequent endea- 

 vours to meet with this species failed, and I am unacquainted with the 

 female. 



Fringilla magellanica, VieHl. 



Adult Male. Plate CCCXCIV. Fig. 2. 



Bill short, conical, compressed toward the end, very acute ; upper 

 mandible a little broader than the lower, with the dorsal outline slightly 

 convex, the sides convex, the edges a little inflected and overlapping, 

 the tip slightly declinate ; the gape-line straight, but a little deflected 

 at the base ; lower mandible with the angle short and rounded, the dor- 

 sal line straight, the sides convex, the tip acute. Nostrils basal, 

 roimdish, concealed by the feathers. 



Head of moderate size, roundish-ovate. Neck short. Body ra- 

 ther full. Legs of moderate length ; tarsus short, compressed, slender, 

 covered anteriorly with seven scutella, and thin-edged behind ; toes 

 slender, compressed, scutellate, the first large and stouter, the lateral 

 nearly equal ; claws long, compressed, moderately curved, very acute. 



Plumage soft and blended. Wings rather long, pointed ; the first 

 and second quills equal, the third one-twelfth shorter, the other pri- 

 maries rapidly graduated ; the outer secondaries emarginate. Tail 

 rather short, emarginate. 



