A Synopsis of the Birds of North America

by John James Audubon

Pine Finch, Fringilla pinus, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. ii. p. 133.

Fringilla pinus, Bonap. Syn. p. 111.

Pine Finch, Fringilla pinus, Nutt. Man. v.i. p. 511.

Pine Finch, Fringilla pinus, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. ii. p. 455; v. v. p. 509.

GENUS VIII. CARDUELIS, Cuv. GOLDFINCH.

Bill short, or of moderate length, conical, very stout at the base, compressed toward the end, and tapering to a fine point; upper mandible a little broader, with the nasal sinus very broad, the dorsal outline very slightly convex, the ridge narrowed toward the end, the sides convex, the edges a little inflected and overlapping, the edges slightly ascending at the base, the notches obsolete, the tip very acute; lower mandible with the angle short and rounded, the dorsal line straight, the sides convex, the tip very acute. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed by the feathers. Head roundish-ovate; neck short; body rather full. Legs rather short; tarsus short, compressed, slender, with seven scutella; toes moderate, the first large, the lateral nearly equal. Claws long, compressed, moderately curved, very acute. Plumage very soft and blended. Wings rather long, pointed, the first, second, and third quills about equal and longest. Tail rather short, deeply emarginate. Roof of upper mandible deeply concave; tongue grooved above, pointed; œsophagus dilated about the middle; stomach small, broadly elliptical, moderately muscular; intestine short; cœca very small.

181. 1. Carduelis tristis, Linn. American Goldfinch.

Plate XXXIII. Male and Female.

Bill rather slender, second and third quills longest. Male rich lemon-yellow, fading behind into yellowish-white; upper part of head, wings, and tail black; smaller coverts yellow, quills margined, and secondary coverts tipped with yellowish-white; inner webs of tail-feathers in their terminal half white. Female brownish-olive above, without black on the head; fore neck and breast greyish-yellow, the rest of the lower parts greyish-white. Young like the female, as is the male in winter.

Male, 4¹/₂, 8.

Abundant in the Middle and Western Districts, during summer. Accidental in the Southern States during winter. Columbia River and Fur Countries. Abundant. Migratory.

American Goldfinch, Fringilla tristis, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. i. p. 20.

Fringilla tristis, Bonap. Syn. p. 111.

Carduelis Americana (Edwards), American Goldfinch, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Amer. v. ii. p. 268.

Yellow Bird or American Goldfinch, Nutt. Man. v. i. p. 507.

American Goldfinch, Fringilla tristis, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. i. p. 172; v. v. p. 510.

182. 2. Carduelis magellanicus, Vieill. Black-headed Goldfinch.