FIELD KEY TO THE LAND BIRDS.
30
conspicuous white bars on the wing, and a larger bill. Both the Crossbills are tree birds, rarely seen on the ground. They are usually seen in evergreen trees, climbing quietly, like parrots, and eating the seeds from the cones. Length, oj 66. REDPOLL. Acanthu Unarla. Gray-brown Avith buff streaks above and on inches. shaded all over throat black belly white breast with more or less crimson or pink. Female and young The Redpoll similar, but without the pinkish tints. breeds in the Arctic regions, and is a common winter visitor here, coming in flocks, and feeding on the
—
seeds of grass and other plants on the ground and in bushes. REDPOLL. Acanthis linaria 67. Length, 5^ inches. Resembles the Redrostrata.
GREATER
—
poll,
but
is
larger
and darker colored.
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH.
Spinus tristis. yellow; cap, wings, and middle of tail black; wing bars and outer tailFemale, and in Avinter the male, feathers white. grayish green above, yellowish below; Avithout a Feeds on weeds and grass seeds on or black cap. near the ground. Stays all the year, in small roving
68.
— Length, 5 inches.
Lemon
flocks.
69.
PINE SISKIN. FINCH.
Spinus pinus.
—
Length, 5 inches. Buff above; underparts Avhite streaked all over with black. Though resembling the last three species in habits, he is more of a treebird, usually found among evergreens, feeding on the These birds breed to the north, and in winter seeds. come irregularly southward in small flocks. BUNTING. Plectro70. SNOWBIRD. Length, GJ inches. Rust-colored pJienax nivalis.
—
SNOW
above; wings brown; underparts pure snow
Avhite.
in Arctic regions, and comes southward in winter as far as the snow extends, feeding on grass seeds. It is a true meadow bird, never alighting on a tree, and walks or runs like the larks,
The Snowbird breeds
