BIRD LIFE IN WASHINGTON 
15 
WILLOW GOLDFINCH 
We have so many kinds of finches and 
sparrows that it takes years to get ac¬ 
quainted with them all. One of the most 
gaily clad is the Willow Goldfinch. His 
di ^ess is bright yellow, his wings black 
crossed by white bars. Then he wears a 
jaunty black cap. 
He greets us with a SAveet low Avarble in 
late spring. Some of the Goldfinches re¬ 
main throughout the year, but if Ave have 
had our introduction to them in their gay 
summer clothes Ave shall need another one 
in order to knoAV them in winter. A large 
number of ours are dressed much plainer 
in Avinter than in summer. 
The Goldfinches sport in gay flocks in 
Avinter, but in late spring the pairs of tiny 
SAA'eethearts steal away from the croAvd. 
Mr. Goldfinch is very attentive to his 
lady, if you see oue A r ou are almost eer- 
tain to see the other. “How did you find 
the nest?” I asked a gentleman avIio re- 
ported having made a visit to it. “Why, 
I saw him alone, you know Iioav closely 
they stick together, so I thought she must 
be on the nest and I began to hunt.” The 
nest is usually placed near the top of a 
Ioav tree. It should contain three or free 
blueish Avhite eggs. 
c> O 
