405 



PYRRHULA. BULLFINCH, 



Bill short, very strong, subpentagonal and abont as high as 

 broad at the base. Upper mandible with its dorsal outline 

 convex, the sides much rounded, the edges sharp, at first as- 

 cending, then nearly straight, and forming a wide sinus or 

 curve towards the tip, which is decurved and contracts to a 

 narrow but rather blunt point extending considerably beyond 

 the other. Lower mandible with the angle very broad and 

 semicircular, the dorsal line ascending and a little convex, the 

 back very broad, the sides much rounded, the edges involute, 

 with a thin angular prominence near the middle, the tip 

 slightly compressed and rounded. 



The mouth is of moderate width ; the upper mandible within 

 deeply and widely concave, with five prominent lines and six 

 grooves, of which the lateral are deeper and receive the edges 

 of the lower mandible, which is very deeply concave. Tongue 

 very short, fleshy, oblong, concave above.' (Esophagus dilated 

 into a membranous crop ; proventriculus oblong. Stomach a 

 strong gizzard. Intestine of moderate length, rather wide ; 

 coeca minute. 



Nostrils basal, in the very short broad nasal sinus, rather 

 small, round, covered by reflected bristly feathers. Eyes rather 

 small. External aperture of the ear large and circular. 



Body moderately stout ; neck short ; head rather large. 

 Legs short and rather slender ; tarsus very short, compressed, 

 covered anteriorly with seven scutella, posteriorly with two 

 narrow plates meeting at an acute angle ; toes slender and short, 

 the first proportionally stout, the third much longer than the 



