174 AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.
even Lake Superior, I have always seen many of them in the latter part
of summer. They have then a decided preference for the vicinity of water.
I t is an extremely hardy bird, and often remains the whole winter in
the Middle Districts, although never in great numbers. When deprived
of liberty, it will live to a great age in a room or cage. I have known
two instances in which a bird of this species had been confined for upwards
of ten years. They were procured in the market of New York
when in mature plumage, and had been caught in trap-cages. One of
them having undergone the severe training, more frequently inflicted in
Europe than America, and known in France by the name of gaUrien,
would draw water for its drink from a glass, it having a little chain
attached to a narrow belt of soft leather fastened round its body, and another
equally light chain fastened to a little bucket, kept by its weight in
the water, until the little fellow raised it up with its bill, placed a foot
upon it, and pulled again at the chain until it reached the desired fluid
and drank, when, on letting go, the bucket immediately fell into the glass
below. In the same manner, it was obliged to draw towards its bill a little
chariot filled with seeds ; and in this distressing occupation was doomed
to toil through a life of solitary grief, separated from its companions,
wantoning on the wildflowers, and procuring their food in the manner in
which nature had taught them. After being caught in trap-cages, they
feed as if quite contented; but if it has been in spring that they have
lost their liberty, and they have thus been deprived of the pleasures anticipated
from the previous connexion of a mate, they linger for a few days
and die. It is more difficult to procure a mule brood between our species
and the Canary, than between the latter and the European Goldfinch, although
I have known many instances in which the attempt was made
with complete success.
The young males do not appear in full plumage until the following
spring. The old ones lose their beauty in winter, and assume the duller
tints of the female. In fact, at that season, young and old of both sexes
resemble each other.
There is a trait of sagacity in this bird and the Purple Finch (FRIRIRGILLA
PURPUREA), which is quite remarkable, and worthy of the notice of
such naturalists as are fond of contrasting instinct with reason. When a
Goldfinch alights on a twig imbued with bird-lime expressly for the purpose
of securing it, it no sooner discovers the nature of the treacherous
substance, than it throws itself backwards, with closed wings, and hangs
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH. 175
in this position until the bird-lime has run out in the form of a slender
thread considerably below the twig, when feeling a certain degree of security,
it beats its wings and flies off, with a resolution, doubtless, never
to alight in such a place again ; as I have observed Goldfinches that had
escaped from me in this manner, when about to alight on any twig, whether
smeared with bird-lime or not, flutter over it, as if to assure themselves
of its being safe for them to perch upon it.
FRINGILLA TRISTIS, Linn. SyskNat. vol. i. p. 320.—Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. i. p. 62.
—Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of the United States, p. 111.
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH, FRINGILLA TRISTIS, Lath. Synops. vol. iii. p. 2 0 8 .— Wits.
Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 20. PI. 1. fig. 2 . Adult Male in Summer.—Ch. Bonaparte,
Amer. Ornith. vol. i. p. 57. PI. 6. fig. 4 . Female.
Adult Male in spring. Plate XXXIII. Fig. 1.
Bill rather short, conical, very acute; upper mandible a little broader
than the lower, very slightly declinate at the tip, rounded on the sides, as
is the lower, which has the edges inflected and acute; the gap line straight,
not extending to beneath the eye. Nostrils basal, roundish, concealed by
the feathers. Head rather large. Neck short. Body pretty full. Legs
of moderate length, slender ; tarsus longer than the middle toe, covered
anteriorly with a few longish scutella; toes scutellate above, free, the lateral
ones nearly equal; claws very slender, much compressed, acute, and
slightly arched, that of the hind toe not much larger.
Plumage soft and blended. Wings of ordinary length, the third and
fourth quills longest, the second nearly as long. Tail of ordinary length,
forked, the lateral feathers curved outwards a little towards the tip.
Bill and feet yellowish-brown. Iris dark brown. The general colour
of the plumage is a rich lemon-yellow, fading posteriorly into yellowishwhite.
Fore and upper part of the head, wings, and tail, black ; quills
externally margined, and the large coverts tipped, with yellowish-white;
inner webs of the tail white.
Length 4^ inches, extent of wings 8 ; bill along the ridge along the
gap fa
Adult Female in spring. Plate XXXIII. Fig. 2.
The female wants the black spot on the head, and in her the fine yellow
of the male is changed into brownish-olive, fading posteriorly into yel