168 FIIINGILLID.E. 



Subfamily II. FRINGILLIN^. 



The woodcuts given above (p. 3) snow the shape of the skull in 

 the genus Fringilla ; and it will be noticed that the posterior end 

 of the lower jaw is very much weaker, and the nasal bones do 

 not extend backwards as in the Grosbeaks, but only reach to the 

 frontal line. 



Although I have not been able to examine skulls of every genus 

 contained in this subfamily, there is less doubt as to the position of 

 the genera than was the case with the Grosbeaks, and the true 

 Finches, as here arranged, seem to form a tolerably natural collec- 

 tion of genera. I have not hesitated to recognize colour as a cha- 

 racteristic of generic value where it has appeared to me to be 

 useful in preserving seemingly natural genera, such as Carduelis, 

 but it is possible that a larger compression of genera will take 

 place with future writers. 



Key to the Genera. 



A. Kll rather long and slender; the exposed 



part of the culnien equal to twice the 

 breadth at nostrils. [True Finches.] 



a. No scarlet about the head and face 24. Fringilla, p. 170. 



b. Face scarlet or rosy. 



a'. No yellow on wings ; throat and breast 



rosy or crimson ; sexes different .... 25. Procardttelis, 

 1) '. Yellow on wings; breast white; sexes [p. 182. 



alike 20. Carduelis, p. 185. 



B. Bill of various forms, swollen and globose, or 



thin and pointed, but the exposed part of 

 the culmen never twice the breadth of the 

 bill across the nostrils. [Siskins, Linnets.] 

 c . Bill pointed, and not swollen or globose ; 

 the angles of the culmen and gonys about 

 equal : nostrils completely hidden by 

 bristles. 

 c'. Bill rather long and attenuated, the 

 sides proceeding in a straight line to 

 the tip, which is very acute ; the cul- 

 men as long as the hind toe and claw . 27. Chrysomitris, 

 d'. Bill shorter, the culmen shorter than [p. 192. 

 the hind toe and claw. 

 a". Wing-s short, falling short of the tip 

 of the tail by more than the length 

 of the tarsus. 

 a'". Hind claw rather small, much 

 less than the hind toe itself ; cul- 

 men flattened 28. Callacanthis t, 



b'". Hind claw rather large, and about [p. 232. 



equal to the toe itself 31. Acanthis, p. 235. 



b". Wings long, falling short of the tail 



by less than the length of the tarsus . 32. Montifringilla, 

 d. Bill more or less swollen and globose, the [p. 257. 



lateral edge generally bowed in towards 

 the tip ; the culmen more geutly curved 



t Here must be inserted 29. Loximitris and 30. Acanthidops, which are sup- 

 posed to be allied to Chrysomitris (vide infrh, pp. 233, 234). 



