OF GENEEA. XVll 



Family 11. FRiNGiLLiDiE. 



(finches. ) 



" Remarkable for the shortness, thickness, and powerful structure 

 of the beak ; the uj)per and lower mandibles are for the most part 

 equally thick, their height and breadth are nearly alike, so that 

 Avhen the beak is closed, it commonly presents the appearance of a 

 short cone, divided in the middle by the gape. Their food con- 

 sists very largely of seeds, often inclosed in Avoody capsules of 

 great hardness, or the kernels of stone-fruits. At the season of 

 incubation many species live on the larvai of insects, with which 

 the young are almost exclusively fed. This family consists of 

 birds which may be considered small, and is one of immense 

 extent. " * 



43. Plecteophanes (Lapland and Snow Bunting). Both 

 mandibles incurved at the edges, the upj)er smaller and narrower 

 than the under, and furnished with a hard bony knob ; vidngs long, 

 first and second primaries longest and nearly equal ; hind claw long, 

 nearly straight. Page 185. 



44. Emberiza (Bunting). Bill as in the last ; wings moderate ; 

 first primary shorter than the second and third, which are longest ; 

 hind claw short and curved. Page 188. 



45. Fringilla (Chaffinch and Brambling). Bill straight, 

 sharj), pointed ; mandibles nearly equal ; first primary a little 

 shorter than the second, much shorter than the third and fourth, 

 which are nearly equal and the longest. Page 196, 



46. Passer (Sparrow). Bill somewhat arched above ; lower 

 mandible rather smaller than the upper ; first three j)rimaries 

 longest. Page 201. 



47. CoccoTHRAUSTES (Greenfinch and Hawfinch). Bill very 

 thick and strong, bulging at the sides, and much arched above ; 

 lower mandible inflected at the edges, and shutting into the ujij^er ; 

 first and third primaries scarcely shorter than the second, which is 

 the longest. Page 206. 



48. Carduelis (Goldfinch and Siskin). Bill a rather elongated 

 cone, compressed at the tip, and fine pointed ; wings long, pointed ; 

 first three primaries nearly equal and the longest ; tail slightly 

 forked. Page 211. 



49. LiNOTA (Limiet and Redpole). Bill a short straight cone, 

 compressed at the tip ; wings long, pointed ; third primary some- 

 what shorter than the first and second, which are equal and the 

 longest ; tail forked. Page 216. 



50. PfRRHULA (Bullfinch). Bill short and thick, the sides 

 tumid ; upper mandible much arched and bending over the lower 

 one ; first primary nearly equal to the fifth, second a little shorter 

 than the third and fourth, which are the longest. 



Page 222. 

 * Gosse's Natural History, Birds, p. 150. 



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