The Willow Goldfinch 



made fast to supporting branches throughout its entire depth; placed at moderate 

 heights — 5 to 15 feet up in willow or sapling. Eggs: 4 or 5; ovate; pale niagara 

 green, unmarked. Av. of 28 eggs from Eureka (M. C. O. coll.): 16.5 x 9.4 (.65 x .47). 

 Season: May, June, July; one brood; 



Range of Astragalinus tristis. — North America from southern Canada to Lower 

 California, Mexico, and the Gulf Coast. 



Range of A. I. salicamans. — Pacific Coast district from southern British Colum- 

 bia to southern California; and in winter south to central Lower California. 



Distribution in California. — Common resident, of local distribution, chiefly 

 in Upper Sonoran and humid Transition zones, west of the Sierran divide. While 

 not found regularly east of the mountains, it shows some tendency to encroach upon 

 the desert via the larger passes, especially in winter: Palm Springs, Jan. 25, 1913; 

 but also Whitewater, May 27, 1913; Palm Springs, May 28, 1913; and Lancaster, 

 on edge of Mohave Desert, May 17, 1919. Affects riparian willow association, but is 

 by no means confined to it. 



Authorities. — Heermann {Carduelis tristis), Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., ser. 

 2, vol. ii., 1853, p. 266; Grinnell, Auk, vol. xiv., 1897, pp. 397-399 (desc. of salicamans); 

 Dwight, Auk, vol. xix., 1902, pp. 150-164 (variation, plumage, molt, etc.); Tyler, Pac. 

 Coast Avifauna, no. 9, 1913, pp. 75-76 (habits at Fresno). 



BRIGHT apostle of midsum- 

 mer! Herald and poet of sunlit 

 hours! How the drooping heads of 

 waterless daisies lift up when they 

 catch his cheerful salutation! Per 

 chic' i chic' , — Perchic' opee, says the 

 rollicking beak as he throws his pen- 

 dant loops of flight. Perchic-ichic, 

 perchic — and lo, the minstrel is sud- 

 denly quenched in a riot of thistle- 

 down. Or else it is a great fruiting 

 sunflower which has engaged his at- 

 tention, and he must pause upon the 

 instant and test the ripeness of those 

 luscious seeds. Dayick? Dayick? he 

 questions, but the stolid ranks of 

 little striped elves stand silent. They 

 are not quite ready yet. Whereupon 

 the happy minstrel remarks puchew 

 or chu wee 00, in a forgiving voice, and 

 flies with an indulgent titter to an- 

 other prospect. 



There are those who profess to 

 find a tinge of melancholy in the 

 notes of the Willow Goldfinch; but 



J 88 



Taken in San Diego County 

 Photo by Donald R. Dickey 



WILLOW GOLDFINCH, 

 FEMALE, AT NEST 



