354 



SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS.— PA8SEBES— OSCINES. 



shorter. Tarsus about as long as middle toe with claw; lateral toes of equal lengths, their 

 claws reaching base of middle claw ; hind claw shorter than its digit. Everywhere thickly 

 streaked. No red. Sexes alike. Habit gregarious. Nest in trees. Eggs speckled. 

 213. C. pi'nus. (Lat. pinus, a pine. Fig. 218.) Pine Linnet. Pine Finch. American Sis- 

 kin. (J 9 , adult ; C'ontinuously streaked, above with dusky or dark olivaceous-brown and 

 flaxen or whitisli, below with dusky and whitish, the whole body usually suffused with yellowish, 



\A most evident on the rump. Wings dusky, the basal 



-^ "~^^=" portion of all tlie quills and their inner webs for some 



V ^^ ^s^i distance sulphury-yellow, usually showing externally 



as a spot just beyond the coverts, sometimes restricted 

 j^gfgi^^^ ^^^Bj ^ lfe?^"^*^. j s and hidden. Outer webs of the quills also narrowly 

 -S"*^ %' J^S^^^^^^^^^=^ edged with yellow, separated from the basal yellow 

 . .^.^■^t>-_ "-^ ..tf^^— '^S^F*- P'''*'^'^ l^y ^ blackish interval. Tail dusky, its basal 

 g£^-Ss^ ^r-j;;^ ^ "— ^^^^ \ia!A yellow, and outer webs edged with yellow. Bill 

 =Lv^t ^''^^ ^^** brown. Length about 4.75 ; extent 8.75; 



i%e^ RtcHt^i^^^^^ wing 3.75; tail 1.75. Very variable in yellowness of 

 -ij'i ^S^ tone, sometimes quite bright, again plain streaky, 



" '^ff^^ dusky and whitish or flaxen ; but the yellow colora- 



H^~ tion of the wings and tail is distinctive. Young birds 



'A A have tlie markings diffuse, with a general huffy- 



l.iG..l.s,-7m.ru.cl.,reda*ed. (hlicppard brownish suffusion.^ N. Am. at large, breeding 

 del. Nichols sc.) northerly, ranging in flocks in the winter through 



most of the U. S., abundant. Nest high in trees, preferably conifers; eggs pale greenish, 

 speckled with brown ; about 0.70 X 0.50. Plight uudulatory ; voice querulous. 

 71. ASTRAGALI 'NUS. (Gr. ao-TpayaXiTOs, a.s<ra(/n?*»«os, name of some bird.) American Gold- 

 finches. Like Chrysomitris. Bill stouter, less acuminate, without extreme lateral com- 

 pressiim, culmen rather convex, gonys quite straight ; commissure strongly angulated ; upper 

 mandible usually showing longitudinal stria3. Nasal ruff evident, though short. Wings and 

 tail as in Chrysomitris; feet smaller ; toes shorter ; lateral digits of unequal lengths ; otiter claw 

 rather overreaching, inner not reaching, base of middle claw. Coloration massed, not streaky ; 

 yellow, olive, black and white, no red. Sexes unlike. Eggs white. 

 Atiali/sis of Species- 

 (J yellow {in summer) with black cap, winga and tail, the ^"Wi^l 



two latter white-marked (Eastern) .... tristis 213 4^^T* -- 



(f gray, varied with yellow on back, breast, and wings, 1 VXiT^/f ^' 



with black face, wings, and tail, latter white-marked *^^^( \V/ i lAi W^iP^'i'^ ■ 



(Western) lamrencil 214 ' u|jiv^^i!R-^,^__i"jt'l 



cf above olive or black, or mixed with both ; yellow below ; 



wings and tail black, white-marked (Western). ^^ S 



Back olive; crown black, not below eyes; largo white lA J^^S^^^Sfe^^ /^J^K ^ at 



tail-spots psattrla 215 \ ( Jg^^^^gjpP^^!!^ vV U^^g^^M' "^ 



Back mixed olive and black ; crown black ; moderate ^| ftHffl P^^^ ^^'^MffR^BH^^^.'VV-f 



white tail-spots arizonm 216 ^W^Al J i^^^^^S 



Back and crown black, to below eyes; small white vA, .,^^ 



tail-spots mexicanus 217 jflWaH^^^^^^^llki^^^^^'^^^^^ 



cf yellow, with black yellow-spaced wings and tail, and /j/r'W^^^^'^ 



whole head black. (Mexico, etc ) notatus 218 £ct¥/""'^^-^^ 



213. A. tris'tis. (Lat. «m&, sad ; from its note. Fig. 219.) \'r 



American Goldfinch. Yellow-bird. Thistle- ^i" ''A:.%is^^ 



BIRD. $, in summer: Rich yellow, changing to ^,„ 219 -Amencan Coldhnch, j, „> 



whitish on the tail-coverts; a black patch on the summer, reduced. (Sheppard del. iMcholssc.) 

 crown; wings black, more or less edged with white; lesser wing-coverts white or yellow; 

 greater coverts tipped with white ; tail black, every feather with a white spot ; bill and feet 



