336 FRINGILLA MONTIFRINGILLA. 



yellow. The irides are browTi. The feet light greyish-brown. 

 The upper part and sides of the head, the hind-neck and back, 

 are black, the feathers margined with yellowish-grey ; the 

 smaller wing coverts and scapulars light reddish-brown ; of 

 which colour there is a band across the wing, formed by the 

 tips of the secondary coverts. The quills and large coverts are 

 black, the former margined externally with pale yellow, except- 

 ing the inner, which are more broadly edged with reddish- 

 brovni, and having a white spot at the base, which forms a 

 narrow bar on the extended wing ; the first row of small coverts 

 tipped with white. The tail also is black, the outer feather 

 white at the base externally, with an oblique line of greyish- 

 white on the inner web, the rest margined with greyish- white, 

 excepting the two middle ones, which are tinged with grey, 

 and edged with greyish-brown. The hind part of the back is 

 white ; the upper tail-coverts black, broadly margined with 

 light greyish-brown. The fore-neck and anterior part of the 

 breast are light brownish-red, the sides paler, and marked with 

 oblong brownish-black spots ; the abdomen and lower tail- 

 coverts, yellowish- white. 



Length to end of tail 6i inches ; extent of wings 10^ ; wing 

 from flexure 8}; tail 2j% ; bill along the ridge i, along the 

 edge of lower mandible | ; tarsus | ; first toe i, its claw 4i 

 twelfths ; second toe 4^ twelfths, its claw j% ; third toe j\, 

 its claw j\ ; fourth toe 4i twelfths, its claw ^^, 



Female. — The female is considerably smaller, and less beau- 

 tiful. The bill, irides, and feet are as in the male. The upper 

 part of the head and the back are pale greyish-red, the feathers 

 brownish-black in the centre ; the cheeks are of the same 

 colour, without spots ; the hind part and sides of the neck pale 

 grey, with two longitudinal black bands behind ; the throat 

 and breast light reddish-brown, the sides paler and unspotted, 

 the abdomen and under tail-coverts brownish-white. The 

 wings and tail are marked as in the male, but the dark parts 

 are blackish-brown, and the two middle tail-feathers grey. 

 The hind part of the back is patched with greyish- white. 



Length to end of tail 6 inches; extent of wings 10; wing 



