184 CRIMSON-NECKED BULLFINCH. 



minck, Vieillot, and other naturalists, by arranging them genericallj 

 separate. The closeness of affinity between these two birds, when thus 

 properly disposed, affords no good reason for the unity of their genera ; 

 for, if we proceed to the abolition of all artificial distinction between 

 genera united by almost imperceptible gradations, Sylvia would be joined 

 to Turdus, Myiothera to Troglodytes, Lanius to 3Iuscicaj}a, the whole 

 of these would be confused together ; and, in fact, orders and classes 

 would be considered as genera ; and even the vast groups, thus formed, 

 would be still observed to unite inseparably at their extremes, and we 

 should finally be compelled to consider all living bodies, both animal 

 and vegetable, as belonging to one genus. This argument, however, 

 may not convince every naturalist of the propriety of our arrangement, 

 and they must," therefore, place the two species, strictly according to 

 nature, in one genus, and consider the present as a Fringilla ; but, how 

 unnatural will then be the situation of Pyrrhula vulgaris, and Pyrrhula 

 enucleator ! 



The inflated form of the bill, the curvature of both mandibles, very 

 apparent in the superior one, as well as the compression of both at tip, 

 are obvious characters, which distinguish the species of Pyrrhula from 

 the Fringillce, in which both mandibles are nearly straight, and present 

 a conic form on every side. 



Berries, and seeds which they extract from the pericarp, buds, and 

 young shoots of different plants, constitute the food of the Bullfinches. 

 They generally frequent forests and bushy places, building their nests 

 on small trees, or low branches of large ones : the females lay four or 

 five eggs. The greater number of the species moult twice a year ; the 

 sexes differ considerably in appearance. They reside in cold and tem- 

 perate climates, with the exception of a few species, that inhabit Africa 

 and South America, 



The Crimson-necked Bullfinch is found in the district of country 

 extending along the base of the Rocky Mountains, near the Arkansas 

 river, and has not been observed elsewhere. In the month of July, 

 when our specimens were obtained, these birds occur in small scattered 

 flocks, keeping mostly on the tops of the cotton-M'ood trees, on whose 

 buds they partially feed. Their voice considerably resembles that of 

 their relative, the Fringilla purpurea. 



