134 



. ARKANSAW GOLDFINCH. 



-f- Carduelis psaltria, Say. 

 PLATE CLXXXIII.— Male. 



This pretty little species first added to our Fauna by Thomas Say, who 

 procured it in the course of Colonel Long's expedition to the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, visits the lower parts of Louisiana at irregular periods, although always 

 during winter. I have procured individuals a few miles from Bayou Sara. 

 They fly loosely together, alight after performing some evolutions, made as 

 if to ascertain the absence of danger, and, as soon as they are on the trees or 

 on the ground, proceed to search for food. The only notes I heard them 

 utter, somewhat resembled those of C. tristis, the American Goldfinch. 

 They are impatient birds, and seldom remain long in the same spot, but 

 change to and fro in the same locality. No individuals of this species were 

 observed by Nuttall or Towxsexd in the course of their journey to and 

 across the Rocky Mountains. My figure is that of an old male drawn at 

 Bayou Sara. 



Eastern bases of Rocky Mountains, and Western Plains. Accidental in 

 Lower Louisiana. Common. Migratory. 



Arkansaw Siskin, FringiUa psaltria, Say, Long's Exped., vol. ii. p. 40. 



Fringilla psalthia, Bonap. Syn.. p. 111. 



Arkansas Siskin, Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 510. 



Arkansaw Siskin, Fringilla psaltria, Aud. Orn. Bio<r., vol. v. p. 85. 



Adult Male. 



Bill short, conical, stout, compressed toward the end, the tip acute; upper 

 mandible with the dorsal line somewhat convex, the ridge indistinct, the 

 sides rounded, the edges sharp, declinate at the base, the tip narrow; lower 

 mandible with the angle very short and semicircular, the dorsal line straight, 

 the sides convex, the edges inflected, the tip acute. Nostrils basal, round, 

 concealed by the feathers. 



Head rather large, broadly ovate; neck short; body moderate. Feet of 

 moderate size; tarsus rather short, compressed, with seven anterior scutella, 

 and two plates behind meeting so as to form a very sharp edge; toes rather 

 large, the lateral equal, the first stouter; claws rather long, moderately 

 arched, much compressed, laterally grooved, very acute. 



