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COMMON GOLDFINCH. 
and having the first three quills nearly equal ; 
tail short, and slightly forked ; tarsi short ; 
feet of moderate strength. 
Types, 1. C. elegans, 2. Americanus. 
Note — 1. Europe, Alpine Asia; 2. America, 
Africa. Habits arboreal, and to a certain 
extent scansorial. 
THE COMMON GOLDFINCH. 
Carduelis elegans Stephens. 
PLATE XVI. 
Fringilla carduelis, Will. Linn, tfc Carduelis elegans, 
Steph Carduelis Europeus, Swain . — Goldfinch of 
British authors. 
Though black and yellow, distributed in large 
and distinct masses, are prevailing colours in all 
the members of this genus, they have also a 
family dress varied in addition with crimson and 
chestnut. This is seen in our native favourite, 
one of the most beautiful birds in the British list, 
and which adds to its appearance the acquire- 
ments of docility, and attachment to its master 
or mistress. The Goldfinch is a common but 
not an abundant species, and does not appear in 
the large flocks in which the Siskin and Linnets 
assemble ; it is generally distributed in the British 
Islands, decreasing in numbers towards the north, 
