Wayne: Bieds of South Carolina. 115 



1886 and 1887, near Yemassee, where a few remained until May 22. 

 An account of the capture and habits of the birds was published 

 by the writer in the Auk. 1 



Since the original capture of these birds in numbers at Yemassee, 

 I have found the species to be an irregular winter and very late spring 

 visitant, as the following records will show: On March 31, 1888, 

 I shot four specimens from a flock of seven, within seven miles 

 of Charleston; December 8, 1899, I observed a small flock near 

 Mount Pleasant; and on May 10 and 26, 1900, 1 saw small numbers 

 of the birds near Mount Pleasant. 



This species lives in coniferous woods, and feeds upon the seed 

 of the long-leaf and short-leaf pines as well as the sweet gum. It 

 breeds from the mountains of Georgia and North Carolina 

 northward to Nova Scotia, and west to Alaska. 



198. Astragalinus tristis (Linn.). Goldfinch. 



The Goldfinch is an abundant autumn, winter, and late spring 

 visitant, frequenting clearings as well as the interior of great 

 swamps of deciduous trees. It arrives by October 25 (my earli- 

 est record is October 16, 1906), and is common until the middle 

 of May in backward seasons. On July 8, 1903, I observed a 

 specimen near Mount Pleasant, which, judging from its actions, 

 must have been breeding in the near vicinity. I could not find 

 the nest, however, nor did I shoot the bird to examine the sex- 

 ual organs. Near the same spot I saw another specimen on 

 July 1, 1907. An adult male taken January 28, 1899, near 

 Mount Pleasant, is in almost perfect summer plumage. The 

 moult begins late in March, but the birds rarely acquire their 

 perfect summer plumage while they sojourn here. 



In winter, the food consists of seed, but in spring the Gold- 

 finch feeds upon the stamens of various forest trees. When food 

 is scarce the birds frequently resort to the sandy wastes along the 

 coast islands to feed upon the seed of the wild oats (Zizania 

 miliacea) . 



The Goldfinch breeds from the mountainous parts of South 

 Carolina to Anticosti Island. 



199. Spinuspinus (Wils.). Pine Siskin. 



The winter of 1896 and 1897 brought large numbers of these 

 erratic birds. The first were observed on December 12, 1896, 



'IV, 1887, 287-289. 



