YELLOW BIRD, OR GOLDFLNCH. T5 



the seeds, making it fly in clouds around them. The figure 

 on the plate represents this bird of its natural size. 



The American goldfinch has been figured and described by 

 Mr Catesby,* who says, that the back part of the head is a 

 dirty green, &c. This description must have been taken 

 while the bird was changing its plumage. At the approach 

 of fall, not only the rich yellow fades into a brown olive, but 

 the spot of black on the crown and forehead becomes also of 

 the same olive tint. Mr Edwards has also erred in saying, 

 that the young male bird has the spot of black on the fore- 

 head ; this it does not receive until the succeeding spring, f 

 The figure in Edwards is considerably too large ; and that by 

 Catesby has the wings and tail much longer than in nature, 

 and the body too slender — very different from the true form 

 of the living bird. Mr Pennant also tells us that the legs of 

 this species are black ; they are, however, of a bright cinna- 

 mon colour ; but the worthy naturalist, no doubt, described 

 them as he found them in the dried and stuffed skin, shrivelled 

 up and blackened with decay ; and thus too much of our 

 natural history has been delineated. 



* Nat. Hist. Car., vol. i. p. 43. 



t These changes take place in the common siskin of this country : 

 indeed, changes, and, in many cases, similar to those alluded to, are 

 common, according to season, among all our Fringillidce ; the common 

 chaffinch loses the pale gray of his forehead, which becomes deep 

 bluish purple ; the head and back of the brambling, or mountain finch, 

 becomes a deep glossy black ; and the forehead and breasts of the dif- 

 ferent linnets, from a russet brown, assume a rich and beautiful crimson. 

 They are chiefly produced by the falling off of the ends of the plumules 

 of each feather, which before concealed the richer tints of its lower 

 parts ; at other times, by the entire change of colour. The tint itself, 

 however, is always much increased in beauty and gloss as the season 

 for its display advances ; at its termination the general moult com- 

 mences, when the feathers are replaced with their new elongated tips, 

 of a more sombre hue, which, no doubt, adds to the heat of the winter 

 clothing, and remain until warmer weather and desires promote their 

 dispersion. — Ed. 



