YELLOW-BIRD ; AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. 
CHRYSOMITRIS TRISTIS. 
HE yellow-birds, frequenters of our door-yards and 
gardens, are of all birds the gentlest-mannered. 
With their heads crowned with black caps, their yellow 
bodies, black wings and tails, they are dainty, high-bred 
visitors. When singing in chorus, as is their habit, their 
soft warblings are expressive of great delight. In their 
most characteristic song, of only four notes, they are 
stronger-voiced, singing with distinctness and moderation. 
This song is performed while on the wing, and is all the 
more charming because of the touch of sadness that it 
has for the sensitive listener. The flight of the yellow- 
birds follows the fashion set by the woodpeckers. It is like 
the riding of a boat over great billows — up — down — 
up—in graceful curves, with a stroke of the wings for 
each swell, to the accompaniment of the little song,— 
8va. 
———— | 
With sweep and swing from crest to crest, the song 
runs : — 
