212. 
71. 
213. 
354 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —PASSERES — OSCINES. 
shorter. Tarsus about as long as middle toe with claw; lateral toes of equal lengths, their 
claws reaching base of middle claw; hind claw shorter than its digit. Everywhere thickly 
streaked. Nored. Sexes alike. Habit gregarious. Nest in trees. Eggs speckled. 
C. pimus. (Lat. pinus, a pine. Fig. 218.) Pine Linnet. Pine Fincuy. AMERICAN SIs- 
KIN. @ 9, adult: Continuously streaked, above with dusky or dark olivaceous-brown and 
flaxen or whitish, below with dusky and whitish, the whole body usually suffused with yellowish, 
most evident on the rump. Wings dusky, the basal 
portion of all the quills and their inner webs for some 
distance sulphury-yellow, usually showing externally 
as a spot just beyond the coverts, sometimes restricted 
and hidden. Outer webs of the quills also narrowly 
edged with yellow, separated from the basal yellow 
patch by a blackish interval. Tail dusky, its basal 
half yellow, and outer webs edged with yellow. Bill 
and feet brown. Length about 4.75; extent 8.75; 
wing 3.75; tail 1.75. Very variable in yellowness of 
tone, sometimes quite bright, again plain streaky, 
dusky and whitish or flaxen; but the yellow colora- 
tion of the wings and tail is distinctive. Young birds 
ia have the markings diffuse, with a general buffy- 
Fie. 218. aes Finch, reduced. (Sheppard brownish suffusion. N. Am. at large, breeding 
del. Nichols gc.) northerly, ranging in flocks in the winter through 
most of the U.S., abundant. Nest high in trees, preferably conifers; eggs pale greenish, 
speckled with brown; about 0.70 X0.50. Flight undulatory ; voice querulous. 
ASTRAGALI'NUS. (Gr. dotpayadivos, astragalinos, name of some bird.) AMERICAN GOLD- 
FINCHES. Like Chrysomitris. Bill stouter, less acuminate, without extreme lateral com- 
pression, culmen rather convex, gonys quite straight ; commissure strongly angulated ; upper 
mandible usually showing longitudinal strie. Nasal ruff evident, though short. Wings and 
tail asin Chrysomitris; feet smaller; toes shorter ; lateral digits of unequal lengths ; outer claw 
rather overreaching, inner not reaching, base of middle claw. Coloration massed, not streaky ; 
yellow, olive, black and white, no red. Sexes unlike. Eggs white. 
Analysis of Species. 
¢& yellow (in summer) with black cap, wings and tail, the 
two latter white-marked (Eastern) . 3 tristis 213 
¢@ gray, varied with yellow on back, breast, and wings, 
with black face, wings, and tail, latter white-marked 
(Western). . . . . lawrencii 214 
do above olive or black, or mixed with poth; yellow below ; 
wings and tail black, white-marked (Western). 
Back olive; crown black, not below eyes; large white 
tail-spots . A . . psaltria 215 
Back mixed olive and black; crown black; moderate 
white tail-spots . . . . @rizone 216 
Back and crown black, to below eyes; small white 
tail-spots ... - 1. mexicanus 217 
do yellow, with black velloweinased wings and tail, and 
whole head black. (Mexico, etc). . . . . notatus 218 
A. tris'tis. (Lat. tristis, sad; from its note. Fig. 219.) 
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. YELLOW-BIRD. THISTLE- 
BIRD. ¢, in summer: Rich yellow, changing to Fig. 219.— American Goldfineh, d, in 
whitish on the tail-coverts; a black patch on the summer, reduced, (Sheppard del. Nicholssc.) 
crown; wings black, more or less edged with white; lesser wing-coverts white or yellow; 
greater coverts tipped with white; tail black, every feather with a white spot; bill and feet 
