GOLDFINCH. 57 



come visitors to the farmers who seek to raise their own seeds of the lettuce, turnip, 

 and other similar vegetables. They are also very fond of the seeds of the sunflower. 



"Owing possibly to the scarcity of proper food for their young in the early sum- 

 mer, the Goldfinches are quite late before they mate and raise their single brood. It is 

 usually past the 10th of July, before their nests are constructed, and often September 

 before their broods are ready to fly." 



When the Goldfinches arrive in their summer home, the males have assumed their 

 beautiful lemon-yellow and black color again, which they had lost in the fall. On this 

 change of coloring Prof. R. Ridgway writes as follows: 



"In the fall the male loses his beautiful lemon-yellow plumage and assumes a 

 sombre garb like that of the female, which he wears until the succeeding spring, when 

 the rich colors of summer are resumed very gradually, the change commencing in April 

 and continuing until the summer is at hand, before all traces of the winter dress are lost." 



In the love season the call-notes sound indescribably sweet and liquid. They con- 

 sist of a soft tweet and a very low, persuasive ce-ree, ce-tee. These notes are also 

 uttered in their winter-quarters, when the flock has scattered over a number of trees 

 or over the ground, but then they sound quite diiferent. Shortly before and during the 

 nesting time, especially in July and August, they are often seen circling round and round 

 "with the peculiar undulating flight and calling per-chick'-o-pee, per-chick'-o-pee, at 

 each opening and shutting of the wings, or later leading their plaintive brood among 

 the thistle heads by the road-side." (Burroughs.) At this time the male flies frequently 

 in the air singing and circling around in ecstacy of song and happiness. 



The Goldfinch belongs to our best songsters, its strain being remarkably sweet, 

 melodious, loud, liquid, and varied. I love the song of this bird more than I do that 

 of a common Canary-bird. According to Audubon, the song resembles that of the Euro- 

 pean Goldfinch, a bird that has been introduced to Boston, New York, Cincinnati, 

 St. Louis, and Portland, Oregon, and which promises to become abundant in time. I 

 have frequently heard the song of caged European Goldfinches, and must admit that 

 the lay has a great resemblance to that of our native Goldfinch, but the latter is a far 

 superior songster, its strain being louder, sweeter, more varied and brilliant. The song 

 which has to me a singular fascination, commences and is often interrupted by uttering 

 the common call-note ce-ree, or che-wee, and by the characteristic per-chick'-o-pee. 



"The song of the Goldfinch," says Dr. T. M. Brewer, — "very diflerent from their 

 usual plaintive cry or call-note, uttered as they are flying or when they are feeding — 

 is very sweet, brilliant, and pleasing; most so, indeed, when given as a solo, with no 

 other of its kindred within hearing. I know of none of our common singers that excel 

 it in either respect. Its notes are higher, more flute-like, and its song is, more prolonged 

 than that of the Purple Finch." In July and August, even in the hot hours of noon, 

 the bird sings diligently, and often two and more males are heard at the same time, 

 vieing with each other in their musical perfoirmances. 



With the exception of the Cedarbird the Goldfinch is our latest breeder, and I 

 have never found the nest in Wisconsin and northern Illinois before the ISth of July, 

 and the majority were always found in August. In Wisconsin there goes the saying: 

 "You mav look for the nest of the Goldfinch, when the field peas are ripe," and I have 



