110 ' THE NATUEALIST'S GUIDE. 



of the apple-blossom ; also eats a few insects ; but gen- 

 erally feeds upon seedst The plumage of the male of 

 the first, second, and third years is gray like the female; 

 on the fourth year it assumes the brighter male plumage. 

 Both sexes sing, — the females not as loud as the males, 

 however. 



67. Astragalinns tristis, Cab. — Goldfinch, "Yellow- 

 Bird," "Thistle-Bird." Abundant resident; gregarious in 

 winter. Breeds late in June. 



68. tJhrysomitris pinus, Bon. — Pine Linnet, Pine 

 Finch. — Another irregular winter visitor, whose move- 

 ments are regulated by the supply of food, but in a differ- 

 ent manner from P. Canadensis ; it feeds upon the seeds 

 of weeds a great deal during winter ; in fact, they form its 

 principal supply of food after the seeds of the birch are 

 exhausted. When the snow is deep in the region north of 

 Massachusetts, and covers the weeds to such a depth that 

 they are not exposed, then we have a visit from this bird. 

 It was very numerous during the winter of 1859-60, 

 remaining until quite late; after that time I did not meet 

 with it until the winter of 1868-69, when it was quite 

 common ; it remained until the last week in May. Its 

 nest has been found at Cambridge. ' • 



69. .Sigiothus linarius, Cab. — Red-Poll, Lesser Red- 

 Poll Linnet. Irregular in its visits, and governed' by the 

 same laws as the preceding, with the exception that it is 

 a more restless species. Common all the seasons that the 

 preceding have been, and in the winter of 1866 - 67. 

 Have taken it from the last of December until the. 25th of 

 April. 



The ^giothus " exilipes " of Coues (^. catiescens of other 

 ornithologists) is only a paler variety of this species, of 

 which, if we admit the inconstant characters used in con- 

 structing it {^. " exilipes ") as tangible, we have an almost 

 endless array of species. 



