Widmann — A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri. 171 



1907 revolutionized migration dates generally and those of the 

 Siskin in particular. On May 13 the first Siskins were noticed 

 at St. Louis among the large number of Goldfinches present at 

 their old stands which they regularly visit every year and which 

 they frequented this year ten days longer than usual, namely 

 to May 20. From May 16 to 23 inclusive, flocks of from 30 to 

 50 Siskins were found associated with the Goldfinches at three 

 of those stands, and even after the bulk of the Goldfinches had 

 gone the Siskins remained and their song could then be heard 

 often. They were exceedingly tame, did much of their feeding 

 on the ground and came to the water as frequently as the Gold- 

 finches. In the pine region of Shannon Co. Mr. E. S. Woodruff 

 did not find Siskins before April 28, 29 and 30, 1907, and a flock 

 of from 8 to 12, on May 13. At Grandin he found small flocks 

 still present on May 16 and 17 and saw one fly by June 4, 1907, 

 ten miles north of Grandin. 



Carduelis carduelis (Linn.). Goldfinch. 



FringUla carduelis. Carduelis elegans. 



Geog. Dist. — Europe in general except extreme northern por- 

 tions; south, in winter, to Palestine and Egypt. Introduced 

 into northeastern United States and naturalized in Cuba, in 

 New York City and vicinity, and Cincinnati, Ohio; accidental^) 

 at New Haven, Conn., near Boston, Worcester, etc., Mass., 

 Toronto, Ont., etc. 



Early in the spring of 1870 a few pairs of Goldfinches were 

 introduced into Missouri with other European songsters and 

 liberated in Lafayette Park at St. Louis in April after the weather 

 had become warm. Like most of the other birds liberated at 

 the same time the Goldfinches left the Park almost immediately 

 and the writer never heard of the occurrence of any European 

 Goldfinches in Missouri until the following article appeared in 

 the St. Louis Post-Dispatch: "Liberty, Mo., June 2, 1906. 

 A pair of goldfinches made their appearance in the courthouse 

 yard here and the 'prophets' are unanimous in the opinion 

 that they are the forerunners of an extra hot and dry summer. 

 It is the first time in twenty years that this species has been seen 

 here. The birds got their name from a large patch of yellow 

 on their wings. The front of the head and throat are bright 

 red, the nape, with part of the wings and tail, black." 



