PURPLE FINCH. 103 



also of the same olive tint, Mr. Edwards has also erred in saying that 

 the young male bird has the spot of black on the forehead ; this it does 

 not receive until the succeeding spring. The figure in Edwards is con- 

 siderably too large ; and that by Catesby has the wings and tail much 

 longer than in nature, and the body too slender ; very difterent from 

 the true form of the living bird. Mr. Pennant also tells us, that the 

 legs of this species are black ; they are, however, of a bright cinnamon 

 color ; but the worthy naturalist, no doubt, described them as he found 

 them in the dried and stuffed skin, shrivelled up and blackened with 

 decay ; and thus too much of our natural history has been delineated. 



Species II. FRINGILLA PURPUREA. 



PURPLE FINCH. 



[Plato VII. Fig. 4, adult male.] 



Fringilla purpurea, Gmel. Syst. i, 923. — Bouvreuil violet de la Caroline, Buff. it. 

 395. — Purple Finch, Arci. Zool. ii., No. 258. — Catesb. i., 41. — Lath. Syn. iii., 299, 

 39. — Crimson-headed Finch, Arct. Zool. u., No. 257. — Lath. Syn. iii., 275, 39. — 

 Hemp-bird, Bartram, 291. Fringilla purpurea. Id. 291. 



This is a winter bird of passage, coming to us in large flocks from 

 the north, in September and October, great numbers remaining with us 

 in Pennsylvania during the whole winter, feeding on the seeds of the pop- 

 lar, button-wood, juniper, cedar, and on those of many rank weeds that 

 flourish in rich bottoms, and along the margin of creeks. When the 

 season is very severe they proceed to the south, as far at least as Geor- 

 gia, returning north early in April. They now frequent the elm trees, 

 feeding on the slender but sweet covering of the flowers ; and as soon 

 as the cherries put out their blossoms, feed almost exclusively on the 

 stamina of the flowers ; afterwards the apple blossoms are attacked in 

 the same manner ; and their depredations on these continue till they 

 disappear, which is usually about the tenth or middle of May. I have 

 been told that they sometimes breed in the northern parts of New York, 

 but have never met with their nests. About the middle of September 

 I found these birds numerous on Long Island, and round Newark, in 

 New Jersey. They fly at a considerable height in the air, and their 

 note is a single chink like that of the Rice-bird. They possess great 

 boldness and spirit, and when caught bite violently, and hang by the 

 bill from your hand, striking with great fury ; but they are soon recon- 

 ciled to confinement, and in a day or two are quite at home. I have 

 kept a pair of these birds upwards of nine months, to observe their 

 manners. One was caught in a trap, the other was winged with the 



