SPRING ARRIVAL OF THE BIRDS. 37 
probably a majority of the empty nests, disclosed 
by the falling of the leaves in autumn, are those 
of the gold finches. These are more frequently in 
the smaller maples, and are fastened in the forks of 
slender branches. 
We have few handsomer birds; the male is lemon 
color on the upper part of the body, a little paler 
benéath ; the crown is jet black; the wings and tail 
are also nearly black, the former streaked, and the lat- 
ter spotted with white. The female lacks the bright 
yellow, but is olive green, with many markings. One 
peculiarity of the gold finches is the undulating flight 
in long graceful curves; at each rise of which they 
utter a few soft musical notes like “we teeter, we teeter.” 
They have a great variety of songs, none brilliant, but 
all sweet and pleasing. They have also many calls or 
conversational notes, much like those of the canaries, 
which in many respects they resemble. 
Until millions of these innocent creatures fell a prey 
to the murdering plumage gatherers, they were very 
tame and confiding, and showed little fear of man. I 
have picked many a one from the head of a thistle or 
sunflower while it was eating the seeds, and after a 
minute or two when [ let it go, it seldom showed itself 
much disturbed by such transient captivity. On one 
occasion the little creature immediately returned to the 
sunflower, when I captured it a second time. 
Close to the house stood a small black cherry tree. 
Three years in succession a pair of these birds nested 
in it. Z am confident it was the same pair—at least 
