OF VIRGINIA 217 
limb of a conifer, from 20 to 60 feet up; of grass, twigs 
and rootlets, lined with moss or feathers. The eges num- 
ber four, the ground color a pale green, specked and spot- 
ted with dark brown, and fainter markings of lilac. They 
probably raise but a single brood each season. Birds were 
noted at Mountain Lake on May 24th. 
GENus ASTRAGALINUS. 
[529]. Astragalinus tristis tristis (Linneus). 
Goldfinch. 
[Wild Canary. Yellow Bird. Thistle Bird]. 
Ranee.—Eastern North America. Breeds in lower 
Canadian, Transition and Upper Austral zones from 
southern Manitoba, central Quebec, and Newfoundland 
south to eastern Colorado, southern Oklahoma, central 
Arkansas, and northern Georgia; winters over most of 
its breeding area and southward to the Gulf Coast. 
These birds, locally called Wild Canary, are very 
abundant with us until the usual cold spell of January 
Ist or thereabouts, when most of them, with the migrants, 
move further south, only to remain a few weeks thongh. 
By February 27th the main body of the migrants join 
with those brave enough to winter out our cold wave, 
only remaining a few days, and then passing on through. 
Many remain throughout the summer and breed. The 
flower gardens in any of our towns and most cities, should 
they contain either the dwarf or large varieties of sun- 
flower, are sure to have these birds visit them for seed. 
There seems to be no seed liked better by the Goldfinch 
16 
