YELLOW GOLD-FINCH. 
Fringilra tristis. Lm . Sjsl . i. p . J20. 
La Chardonneret d’Amerique. Bris. Orn. iii. 64 . 
La Chardonneret jaune. Buff. Ois. iv. 212. 
Golden Finch. Arct. 7j)ol. iii. 60. 
American Gold-finch. Cateshy i. 43 . Ld. 27 4 . 
Lath. ii. 2 8 8. 
This subject is tbe size of life, and excepting Mr. Pennant, and the Count 
de Buffon (who in adopting the name of Yellow Gold-finch, very justly 
characterizes its plumage), all those who have mentioned this bird, call it 
the American Gold-finch; though this name cannot be strictly proper, un- 
less it can be ascertained that no other Gold-finch exists in that quarter of 
the world. 
They inhabit New York, where they are called York-yellows ; they are 
rare in Carolina, more frequent in Virginia; and Father Charlevoix has 
met with them in Canada, and other parts of America, they are likewise 
found at Surinam and Guiana ; they are summer birds, and feed on thistles 
like the Gold-finch. 
1 he bill is of a flesh colour, the irides hazel, the forehead black, the head, 
neck, back, and breast of a most splendid yellow; the lower belly and coverts 
under the tail white, the wing coverts black, crossed with bars of white, the 
edges and tips of the lesser ones white ; tail black ; legs flesh colour. 
Mi. Tunstal, who had several of those birds in his very curious collec- 
tion, remaiks that both male and female constantly lose their yellow in the 
winter season, and become exactly the colour of the Siskin* and as con- 
stantly recovered their original splendid plumage in the spring. 
# Siskin. Lath . ii. p. 291. 58. B 
