472 Pine Grosbeak and Bohemian Chatterer. 



loud. While singing it moves the crest, but hardly moves the 

 throat. If this warbling is somewhat unmusical it has the merit 

 of continuing throughout every season of the year. AVhen angry, 

 whicb happens sometimes near the common feeding-trough, it 

 knocks very violently with its beak. It is easily tamed." The 

 same author says, that in confinement the two universal pastes 

 appear delicacies to it ; and it is even satisfied with bran steeped 

 in water. It swallows everything voraciously, and refuses nothing 

 estable, such as potatoes, cabbage, salad, fruit of all sorts, and es- 

 pecially white bread. It likes to bathe, or rather to sprinkle 

 itself with water, for it does not wet itself so much as other birds. 



It is taken in nooses, to which berries are fixed, which for this 

 purpose, says the author last quoted, " should always be kept in 

 store till February. It appears to be frightened at nothing, for 

 it flies into nets and traps, though it sees its companions caught, 

 and hanging and uttering cries of distress and fear." 



Length about eight inches ; the size altogether approaching 

 that of a starling. 



Male. Bill strong, black, except at the base, where the colour 

 inclines to a yellowish- white ; nostrils hidden under small black 

 feathers. Irides purplish-red. Chin and throat velvety black, as 

 is also the streak (in the midst of which is the eye) passing from the 

 bill to the hinder part of the head. Fore-bead reddish-brown. Head 

 feathers long, silky, forming a reclining crest approaching to 

 reddish-chesnut, which the bird can erect or depress at pleasure. 

 Upper parts purplish-red, of vinaceous-brown dashed with ash- 

 colour, the rump-lightest. Breast and belly pale purplish-ash, 

 tinged with pale brownish-red. Vent and under tail-coverts 

 orano-e-brown inclininfj to reddish-orano-e. Greater wing-covert'* 

 black, tipped with white. Lesser wing-coverts of a shade darker 

 than the general tint of the upper plum.age. Primaries black, 

 with a bright yellow spot near the white tips of their outer webs. 

 Montagu says that the three first are tipped with white, and the 

 others with yellow on their outer margins. Secondaries gray, 

 tipped with white on the outer web, and seven or eight of them 

 terminated with small flattish, oval, horny appendages, of the 

 colour of red sealinof-wax. Sometimes there are not more than 

 5 or G of these wax-like tips, and in Montagu's specimen there were 

 5 on one side and 6 on the other. Graves gives the number at 

 from 6 to 9 (Bechstein at from 5 to 9,) and mentions the speci- 

 men in Mr. Haworth's collection, which had some on the tail, 

 which is black tipped with yellow, and dashed with ash-colour at 

 the base. Shanks, toes, and claws, black. 



