PINE GROSBEAK. 57 



The Pine Grosbeak measures nine inches in length, and fourteen 

 inches in extent ; the head, neck, breast and rump is of a rich crimson, 

 palest on the breast ; the feathers on the middle of the back are centered 

 with arrow-shaped spots of black, and skirted with crimson, which gives 

 the plumage a considerable flush of red there ; those on the shoulders 

 are of a deep slate color, partially skirted with red and light ash. The 

 greater wing-coverts and next superior row are broadly tipped with 

 white, and slightly tinged with reddish ; wings and tail black, edged 

 with light brown ; tail considerably forked ; lower part of the belly ash 

 color ; vent feathers skirted with white, and streaked with black ; legs 

 glossy black ; bill a brownish horn color, very thick, short and hooked 

 at the point ; the upper mandible overhanging the lower considerably, 

 approaching in its form to that of the Parrot ; base of the bill covered 

 with recumbent hairs of a dark brown color. The whole plumage, near 

 the roots, as in most other birds, is of a deep bluish ash color. The 

 female was half an inch shorter, and answered nearly to the above 

 description ; only, those parts that in the male were crimson, were in 

 her of a dirty yellowish color. The female, according to Foster, 

 referred to above, has those parts which in the male are red, more of an 

 orange tint ; and he censures Edwards for having represented the 

 female of too bright a red. It is possible, that my specimen of the 

 female might have been a bird of the first season, not come to its full 

 colors. Those figured by Mr. Edwards * were both brought from Hud- 

 son's Bay, and appear to be the same with the one now before us, though 

 his coloring of the female difi"ers materially from his description. 



If this, as Mr. Pennant asserts, be the same species with that of the 

 eastern continent, it would seem to inhabit almost the whole extent of 

 the arctic regions. It is found in the north of Scotland, where Pennant 

 suspects it breeds. It inhabits Europe as far north as Dronthiem ; is 

 common in all the pine forests of Asia, in Siberia, and the north of 

 Russia, is taken in autumn about Petersburgh, and brought to market 

 in great numbers. It returns to Lapland in spring ; is found in New- 

 foundland; and on the western coast of North America.f 



Were I to reason from anology, I would say, that from the great 

 resemblance of this bird to the Purple-finch [Frmgilla purpurea), it 

 dots not attain its full plumage until the second summer ; and is subject 

 to considerable change of color in moulting, which may have occasioned 

 all the differences we find concerning it in different authors. But this 

 is actually ascertained to be the case ; for Mr. Edwards saw two of these 

 birds alive in London, in cages ; the person in whose custody they were, 

 said they came from Norway ; that they had moulted their feathers, 



* Edw. Vol. III., p. 124. 

 f Pennant, 



