354 
SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. —PASSEEES— OSCINES. 
'"'■Ho 
Fig. 218. — J' 
del. Nichols sc. ) 
Fin 
reduced. (Shei>pard 
shorter. Tarsus about as long as middle toe with claw ; lateral toes of equal lengths, their 
claws reaching base of middle claw; hind claw shorter than its digit. Everywhere thickly 
streaked. No red. Sexes alike. Habit gregarious. Nest in trees. Eggs speckled. 
213. C. pi'nus. (Lat. pinus, a pine. Fig. 218.) Pine Linnet. Pine Finch. American Sis- 
kin. $ 9 J atlult : Continuously streaked, above with dusky or dark olivaceous-brown and 
flaxen or whitish, below with dusky and whitish, the whole body usually suffused with yellowish, 
most evident on the rump. Wings dusky, the basal 
portion of all the quills and their inner webs for-some 
distance sulphury-yellow, usually showing externally 
as a spot just beyond tlie coverts, sometimes restricted 
and hidden. Outer webs of the quills also narrowly 
edged with yellow, separated from the basal yellow 
patch by a blackish interval. Tail dusky, its basal 
half yellow, and outer webs edged with yellow. 15111 
and feet brown. Length about 4.75; extent 8.75; 
wing 3.75; tail 1.75. Very variable in yellowness of 
tone, sometimes quite bright, again plain streaky, 
dusky and whitish or flaxen ; but the yellow colora- 
tion of the wings and tail is distinctive. Young birds 
have the markings diff'use, with a general buff'y- 
brownish suff"usion. N. Am. at large, bi-eeding 
northerly, ranging in flocks in the winter through 
most of the U. S., abundant. Nest high in trees, preferably conifers; eggs pale greenish, 
speckled with brown ; about 0.70 X 0.50. Flight undulatory ; voice querulous. 
71. ASTRAGALI 'NUS. (Gr. aa-TpayoKlvos, astragalinos, name of some bird.) American Gold- 
finches. Like Chrysomitris. Bill stouter, less acuminate, without extreme lateral com- 
pression, culmen rather convex, gonys quite straight ; commissure strongly angulated ; upper 
mandible usually showing longitudinal striae. Nasal ruflF evident, though short. Wings and 
tail as in Chrysomitris; feet smaller ; toes shorter ; lateral digits of unequal lengths ; outer claw 
rather overreaching, inner not reaching, base of middle claw. Coloration massed, not streaky ; 
yellow, olive, black and white, no red. Sexes unlike. Eggs white. 
Analysis of Species. 
cf yellow (in summer) with black cap, wings and tail, the 
two latter wliite-maiked (Eastern) .... tristis 213 
gray, varied with yellow on back, breast, and wings, 
with black face, wings, and tail, latter white-marked 
(Western) latvrencii 214 
cf above olive or black, or mixed with both ; yellow below ; 
wings and tail black, white-marked (Western). 
Back olive ; crown black, not below eyes ; large white 
tail-spots psaltria 215 
Back mixed olive and black; crown black; moderate 
white tail-spots arizonce 216 
Back and crown black, to below eyes; small white 
tail-spots mexicanus 217 
cf yellow, with black yellow-spaced wings and tail, and 
whole head black. (Mexico, etc ) notatus 218 
213. A. tris'tis. (Lat. /m^is, sad ; from its note. Fig. 219.) 
American Goldfinch. Yellow-bird. Thistle- 
bird. (J, in summer: Rich yellow, changing to 
whitish on the tail- coverts ; a black patch on the 
crown; wings black, more or less edged with white; lesser wing-coverts white or yellow; 
greater coverts tipped with white ; tail black, every feather with a white spot ; bill and feet 
Fig. 219. — American Goldhnch, (f, in 
summer, reduced. (Sheppard del. Nichols sc.) 
