342 Birds of Colorado 
Greater Redpoll. Acanthis linaria rostrata, 
A.O.U. Checklist no 528b—Colorado Records—Cooke 97, p. 165; 
Henderson 09, p. 236. 
Description.—Closely resembling A. linaria, but larger (wing of male 
averaging 3-15), and bill stouter and longer (culmen about -40), but 
with the same changes of plumage. 
Distribution.—Breeding and resident in Greenland; southwards in 
winter to Massachusetts and northern Illinois. The only Colorado 
specimen known was obtained by Mr. W. A. Sprague on December 9th, 
1895, near Magnolia in Boulder co., at about 7,500 feet. 
Genus ASTRAGALINUS. 
Small Finches with rather slender, acute and compressed bills, and 
with the nostrils concealed by nasal plumes ; wings long and pointed ; 
tail from -6 to -7 of the wing, strongly emarginate ; tarsus shorter 
than the middle toe and claw; plumage not streaky; males with 
yellow, no red. 
This genus, consisting of three species divided into some ten sub- 
species, is confined to North and Central America. 
Key oF tHe SPECIES. 
A. Upper and under tail-coverts white or whitish. 
a. Smaller; wing of male averaging 2-75 ; yellow of male richer. 
A. tristis, p. 342, 
b. Larger; wing of male averaging 3-0; yellow of male paler. 
A. t. pallidus, p. 344. 
B. Upper tail-coverts dusky or greenish, lower yellow. 
a. Crown black. 
a? Back olive-green. A. psaltria, ¢ p. 344, 
b? Back olive-green and black intermingled. 
A. p. arizonz, 3 p. 345. 
ce? Back black like the crown. A. p. mexicana, ¢ p. 346, 
b. Crown green like the back. A. psaltria, 2 p. 344, 
American Goldfinch. Astragalinus tristis. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 529—Colorado Records—Allen 72, p. 149; 
Aiken 72, p. 199; Henshaw 75, p. 243; Drew 81, p. 90; 85, p. 16; 
Allen & Brewster 83, p. 161; Beckham 85, p. 141; 87, p. 124; Morrison 
88, p. 73; 89, p. 38; Cooke 97, p. 98; Henderson 03, p. 236; 09, 
p- 236; Warren 08, p. 23; 09, p. 16. 
(Some of these records doubtless apply to A. t. pallida.) 
Description.—Male in summer—Genera] colour above and below 
bright lemon-yellow ; crown, wings and tail black ; tips of the middle- 
and greater-coverts, edges of most of the remiges and tail-feathers, 
