406 PYRRHULA. BULLFINCH. 



two lateral, which are about equal ; claws rather long, arched, 

 much compressed, acute, laterally grooved. 



Plumage soft, full, blended, the feathers oblong. At the 

 base of the upper mandible are short bristly feathers directed 

 forwards. AVings of moderate length, with eighteen quills ; 

 the primaries rounded, the secondaries slightly emarginate ; 

 the second, third, and fourth quills longest, and with the fifth 

 having their outer webs slightly cut out. Tail rather long, 

 emarginate, of twelve moderately broad feathers. 



The species included in this genus vary considerably in the 

 comparative length of the bill, which however is so peculiarly 

 characterized by its bulging form that the small shades of dif- 

 ference presented by it do not seem sufficient to warrant a 

 separation. I therefore agree Avith M. Temminck in referring 

 our Common Bullfinch and the Pine Grosbeak of the older 

 writers to the same genus. Cuvier separates the Bouvreuils, 

 Pyrrhula, from the Durbecs, Cor}i:hus ; but the distinctive 

 character which he gives is insignificant, the former being 

 characterized by having " the bill rounded, and bulging or 

 convex in all directions," the latter by having it " bulging on 

 all sides, its point curved over the lower mandible." The 

 point is curved in the Common Bullfinch, but is not so extend- 

 ed as in the Pine Bullfinch. The former is the only species 

 resident in Britain, and the latter has so rarely been met with 

 there that I have never seen a British specimen. 



