366 LINARIA CHLORIS. 



moro beautiful perhaps, but, on the other hand, having a rather 

 heavier appearance, on account of the great size of its head and 

 bill. As its position is rather doubtful, I shall give a full de- 

 scription of it. 



The bill, PL VIII, Fig. 8, is shortish, straight, direct, coni- 

 cal., acute, subpentagonal at the base, nearly as broad as deep, 

 compressed towards the end ; the upper mandible with its dor- 

 sal outline slightly curved, the ridge broad and convex, the 

 sides convex, the edges inflected, sharp, with scarcely percep- 

 tible indications of a notch, close to the acute tip ; lower man- 

 dible with the angle semicircular, the dorsal outline straight, 

 the back broad and convex, the sides rounded, the edges in- 

 flected and sharp ; the gape-line slightly arched, and a little de- 

 flected at the base. 



The mouth is rather narrow, the mandibles being very thick. 

 The tongue narrow, sagittate and papillate behind, pointed but 

 slightly bifid. The digestive organs, PL VIII, Fig. 8, are as 

 described in the generic character ; the oesophagus, a, ^, c, d^ 

 is two inches long ; the stomach, ^, /, ^, nine twelfths ; the in- 

 testine, A, 2, y, k^ l^ m^ ?z, eleven and a half inches ; the coeca, /, 

 one twelfth ; the rectum, /, 7n^ n^ three fourths ; the crop, ^, is 

 capable of being dilated to a considerable size, although when 

 empty it is apt to be overlooked. 



The plumage is blended, softish, slightly glossed, the feathers 

 rather narrow and rounded •, the frontal feathers slightly en- 

 croaching on the bill on either side ; those about its base ter- 

 minated by a very short bristle. The wings are broad, semi- 

 cordate ; the first, second, and third quills almost equal, and 

 longest, the fourth nearly as long ; the second, third, and fourth 

 cut out on the outer web toward the end ; the other primaries 

 slowly graduated and rounded, the secondaries broader, and 

 truncato-rotundate. The tail is shortish, emarginatc, the late- 

 ral feathers slightly bent outwards. 



The bill is pale reddish-brown, darker at the point, the back 

 of the lower mandible tinged with carmine. The irides are 

 hazel ; the tarsi, toes, and claws, wood-brown ; the mouth and 

 skin at the angle of the bill flesh coloured. The general colour 

 of the plumage is yellowish-greeUj on the head tinged with light 



