276 
PINE FINCH. 
yards of the spot where a whole flock of them are sitting. 
They flutter among the branches, frequently hanging by the 
cones, and uttering a note almost exactly like that of the 
Goldfinch, (F. tristis .) I have not a doubt but this bird 
appears in a richer dress in summer in those places where he 
breeds, as he has so very great a resemblance to the bird above 
mentioned, with whose changes we are well acquainted. 
The length of this species is four inches ; breadth, eight 
inches ; upper part of the head, the neck, and back, a dark flaxen 
colour, streaked with black; wings black, marked with two rows 
of dull white, or cream colour ; whole wing-quills, under the 
coverts, rich yellow, appearing even when the wings are shut ; 
rump and tail-coverts, yellowish, streaked with dark brown ; 
tail-feathers, rich yellow from the roots half way to the tips, 
except the two middle ones, which are blackish brown, slightly 
edged with yellow ; sides under the wings, of a cream colour, 
with long streaks of black ; breast, a light flaxen colour, with 
small streaks or pointed spots of black ; legs, purplish brown ; 
bill, a dull horn colour ; eyes, hazel. The female was scarcely 
distinguishable by its plumage from the male. The New 
York Siskin of Pennant,* appears to be only the Yellow 
Bird ( Fringilla tristis) in his winter dress. 
This bird has a still greater resemblance to the Siskin of 
Europe, {F, spinus ,) and may, perhaps, be the species described 
by Turton,f as the Black Mexican Siskin, which he says is 
varied above with black and yellowish, and is white beneath, 
and which is also said to sing finely. This change from flaxen 
to yellow is observable in the Goldfinch ; and no other two 
birds of our country resemble each other more than these do 
in their winter dresses. Should these surmises be found 
correct, a figure of this bird, in his summer dress, shall appear 
in some future part of our work. J 
* Arctic Zoology, p. 372, No. 243. f Turton, vol. i. p. 560. 
f This is a true Siskin ; and we have a very accurate description of the 
general manners of the group in those of the individual now described by 
