210 ARKANSAW SISKIN. 
may notice another trifling difference, which consists in the 
proportional length of the primaries, the four first being 
nearly equal in the American bird, and the three first only in 
the European, the fourth being almost a quarter of an inch 
shorter. The other approximate species, Pringilla Magel- 
lanica, Vieill., considered by Gmelin and Latham as a variety 
of the European siskin, is readily distinguishable by having 
the head entirely black. 
Though the Mexican siskin (fringilla Mexicana, Gmel.) 
may prove to be the female of our bird, or the male in an im- 
perfect state of plumage (and, from the locality, we should 
possibly have referred it to that name, had the classification of 
it fallen to our lot), yet, as nothing positive can be drawn from 
so unessential an indication as that of the Mexican siskin, we 
have no hesitation in following the same course with Say, who 
considers it as entirely new, and have retained his elegant 
name of Fringilla psaltaria. It is very possible that not 
only the Fringilla Mexicana, but also the black Mexican sis- 
kin (ringilla catotol, Gmel.), may be the same bird as our 
Fringilla psaltaria ; but how can we determine from the 
vague descriptions that have been given of those species? 
They are equally applicable to the American goldfinch in its 
dull state of plumage; and Wilson expresses a doubt whether 
or not the black Mexican siskin is the same as his new 
species, Pringilla pinus. 
All these pretty little birds belong to the subgenus Car- 
duelis, having a more slender, acute, and elongated bill than 
other Fringille. 
