72 THE BIRDS OF THE BRITISH ISLES. 



purple (Plate 34), are laid in April or in May, and probably a 

 second brood is reared. 



The male has the head, including the chin, the secondaries 

 and tail, glossy blue-black ; the back is blue-grey, and the 

 under parts including the cheeks are brick-red, shading to 

 white on the under tail-coverts ; the rump is pure white. The 

 wings have a conspicuous white bar, and there is a noticeable 

 red edge to the innermost secondary. The bill is blackish, the 

 legs and irides brown. The grey on the upper parts of the 

 female is less pure and her under parts are browner ; the young 

 has no black on the head. Length, 6-25 ins. Wing, 3*2 ins. 

 Tarsus, 7 in. The Northern Bullfinch : Length, 675 ins. 

 Wing, 3'8 ins. Tarsus, '8 in. 



Scarlet Grosbeak. Carpodacus erythrinus (Pallas). 



The Scarlet Grosbeak breeds in eastern Germany, Russia 

 and Siberia, and winters in south-eastern Asia, but as a 

 wanderer on migration it has occurred in many parts of Europe, 

 including the British Isles. There are about six records for 

 England and Wales, and at least two for Scotland, but within 

 recent years, owing to systematic watching, it has been met 

 with repeatedly on the Isle of May, Fair Island, St. Kilda and 

 the Shetlands. If our knowledge of the bird's winter range 

 is correct, these westerly and north-westerly autumn travels are 

 puzzling, and yet they occur with frequency if not regularity ; 

 wind driftage may explaim them. 



The male is a small brownish bird with rich carmine on the 

 head, throat, breast and lower back, greyish white beneath ; 

 the female has no rosy tints, and is a short-billed brownish finch, 

 less conspicuous than her mate. Length, 5'8 ins. Wing, 3*3 

 ins. Tarsus, 75 in. 



