16. Chrysomitris pinus. ♂ Rocky Mts., 11095.
Three species of Chrysomitris, given by Mr. Audubon, are to be erased from the list: C. stanleyi, C. yarrelli, and C. magellanica. If, as he states, he killed specimens of the latter in Kentucky, they must have belonged to the C. notata of Dubus, a Mexican species, not since met with in our limits. The other two were given him as coming from California,—a statement we now know to be incorrect, both belonging to South America.
Chrysomitris tristis, Bon.
YELLOW-BIRD; THISTLE-BIRD.
Fringilla tristis, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 320.—Wils. Am. Orn. I, 1808, 20, pl. i, f. 2.—Aud. Orn. Biog. I, 1831, 172; V,, 510, pl. xxxiii. Carduelis tristis, Bon. Obs. Wils. 1825, No. 96.—Aud. Birds Am. II, 1841, 129, pl. clxxxi.—Max. Cab. Journ. vi, 1858, 281. Chrysomitris tristis, Bon. List, 1838.—Newberry, Zoöl. Cal. & Or. Route; Rep. P. R. R. Surv. VII, IV, 1857, 87.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 421.—Cooper & Suckley, 197.—Cooper, Orn. Cal. 1, 167. Astragalinus tristis, Cabanis, Mus. Hein. 1851, 159 (type). Carduelis americana, (Edwards,) Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II, 1831, 268. Golden Finch, Pennant. American Goldfinch, Edwards. Chardonneret jaune; Chardonneret du Canada; Tarin de la Nouvelle Yorck, Buffon.—Ib. Pl. enl., pl. ccii, f. 2, pl. ccxcii, f. 1.—Samuels, Birds N. Eng. 288.
Sp. Char. Male. Bright gamboge-yellow; crown, wings, and tail black. Lesser wing-coverts, band across the end of greater ones, ends of secondaries and tertiaries, inner margins of tail-feathers, upper and under tail-coverts, and tibia white. Length, 5.25 inches; wing, 3.00. Female. Yellowish-gray above; greenish-yellow below. No black on forehead. Wing and tail much as in the male. Young. Reddish-olive above; fulvous-yellow
below; two broad bands across coverts, and broad edges to last half of secondaries pale rufous.
Hab. North America generally.
In winter the yellow is replaced by a yellowish-brown; the black of the crown wanting, that of wings and tail browner. The throat is generally yellowish; the under parts ashy-brown, passing behind into white.
There are no observable differences between eastern and western specimens.