. Useful birds and their protection. Containing brief descriptions of the more common and useful species of Massachusetts, with accounts of their food habits, and a chapter on the means of attracting and protecting birds. Birds; Birds. 222 USEFUL BIRDS. out for the lawbreakers. The birds have been sold in the bird stores or sent to Europe as red or gray Linnets. This may account for a local scarcity of this Finch in some places where it was formerly common. American Goldfinch. Yellow Bird. Wild Canary. Thistle Bird. Astralaginus tristis. Length. —About five inches. Adult Male. — Bright, rich c
. Useful birds and their protection. Containing brief descriptions of the more common and useful species of Massachusetts, with accounts of their food habits, and a chapter on the means of attracting and protecting birds. Birds; Birds. 222 USEFUL BIRDS. out for the lawbreakers. The birds have been sold in the bird stores or sent to Europe as red or gray Linnets. This may account for a local scarcity of this Finch in some places where it was formerly common. American Goldfinch. Yellow Bird. Wild Canary. Thistle Bird. Astralaginus tristis. Length. —About five inches. Adult Male. — Bright, rich canary-yellow; crown black; wings and tail black, white-marked. Adult Female.—Above, brownish-olive; below, grayish-white, tinged with yellow; wings and tail much like those of male, but more brownish. Young. — Much like female. Male in Winter. — Like female, but retaining his black-and white wings and tail. Nest. — A cup of grass and moss, down-lined; built in a fork or branch-crotch from six to forty feet up. Eggs. — Bluish-white. Season. —Resident, but local and wandering in winter. The Goldfinch is almost as well known as the Bluebird, and is even more brilliant in coloring. Its common call, per-chic'-o-ree, given repeatedly, as it bounds through the air in graceful undula- tions, will be recognized by all who are at all familiar with bird life. This bright bird wan- ders among orchards and groves, and flits about the fields, pastures, and gardens long after other birds have begun their family cares ; for it is not until July that the Gold- finch usually undertakes to build its nest. Its brood once reared, all the members of the family may be seen wandering about once more. In the garden they are sometimes known as "salad birds," for they are particularly attentive to nice, crisp lettuce, from which at early morning they drink the dew, and perhaps eat a few tender morsels, no doubt paying for. Fig. 82.—American Goldfinch, male, about one-half natu
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpublisherb, booksubjectbirds
