110 
THE NATURALIST’S GUIDE. 
of the apple-blossom; also eats a few insects; but gen- 
erally feeds upon seeds. The plumage of the male of 
the first, second, and third years is gray like the female; 
on the fourth year it assumes the brighter male plumage. 
Both sexes sing, — the females not as loud as the males, 
however. 
67. Astragalinus tristis, Cab. — Goldfinch, Yellow- 
Bird,” ^‘Thistle-Bird.” Abundant resident; gregarious in 
winter. Breeds late in June. 
68. Chrysomitris pinus, Bon. — Pine Linnet, Pine 
Finch. — Another irregular winter visitor, whose move- 
ments are regulated by the supply of food, but in a differ- 
ent manner from P. Canadensis ; it feeds upon the seeds 
of weeds a great deal during winter ; in fact, they form its 
principal supply of food after the seeds of the birch are 
exhausted. When the snow is deep in the region north of 
Massachusetts, and covers the weeds to such a depth that 
they are not exposed, then we have a visit from this bird. 
It was very numerous during the winter of 1859-60, 
remaining until quite late ; after that time I did not meet 
with it until the winter of 1868-69, when it was quite 
common ; it remained until the last week in May. Its 
nest has been found at Cambridge. 
69. ^giothus linarins, Cab. — Red-Poll, Lesser Red- 
Poll Linnet. Irregular in its visits, and governed by the 
same laws as the preceding, with the exception that it is 
a more restless species. Common all the seasons that the 
preceding have been, and in the winter of 1866-67. 
Have taken it from the last of December until the 25th of 
April. 
The LEgiothus “ exilipes ” of Cones {^. canescens of other 
ornithologists) is only a paler variety of this species, of 
which, if we admit the inconstant characters used in con- 
structing it “ exilipes ”) as tangible, we have an almost 
endless array of species. 
