364 LINARIA. LINNET. 



extremity ; rectum, /, m, n^ very short, with an elliptical en- 

 largement. 



Nostrils circular, of moderate size, basal, in the fore part of 

 the nasal depression, which is very short and broad, and con- 

 cealed by the reflected feathers. Eyes of moderate size ; eye- 

 lids feathered, their edges bare and crenate. External aper- 

 ture of ear large, oval. 



Head oblong, rather large, the forehead rather flat ; neck 

 short ; body ovate, of nearly equal breadth and depth. Legs 

 short ; tarsus compressed ; covered anteriorly with seven 

 scutella, posteriorly with a long plate forming a sharp edge, 

 and inferior rugae. Toes slender, compressed ; covered above 

 with a few large scutella, granulate and narrow beneath ; the 

 second and fourth equal, the first a little shorter, the third 

 much longer, and united to the fourth as far as the second 

 joint of the latter. Claws longish, slender, very acute, Arcuate, 

 compressed, laterally grooved. 



Plumage soft, blended, the feathers rather narrow, rounded, 

 with a very slender plumule, consisting of a few long barbs ; 

 those at the base of the bill with short bristle-points. Wing 

 rather long, broad, semicordate. Primary quills ten, secondary 

 seven, the first, second, and third quills almost equal and 

 longest, the fourth nearly as long, the other primaries slowly 

 graduated, all narrow and rounded ; the secondaries broader 

 and truncato-rotundate or slightly emarginate. Tail shortish, 

 or of moderate length, emarginate, of twelve feathers, of which 

 the outer are slightly bent outwards. 



The genus Linaria is very intimately allied to the genera 

 Passer, Fringilla, and Carduelis, the three passing into each 

 other so gradually that a line of distinction can be but arbi- 

 trarily drawn between the groups. The species are all of 

 small size, generally neat in appearance, lively, and prettily 

 although not often gaudily coloured. Four species are con- 

 stant residents, and more or less common in most parts of the 

 country ; namely, the Greenfinch or Green Linnet, L. Chloris ; 

 the Larger Redpoll or Brown Linnet, L. cannabina; the ^loun- 

 tain Linnet or Twite, L. Monti um ; and the Smaller Redpoll, 

 L. minor. A fifth, the Mealy Linnet, L. horealis, has also been 

 found. 



