386 GROSBEAK 



to many birds belonging to the Families Fringillidge and Ploceidx of 

 modern ornithologists, and perhaps to some members of the 

 Emherizidse and Tanagridse, but always to birds distinguished by 

 the great size of their bill. Taken alone it is commonly a synonym 

 of Hawfinch, but a prefix is most usually added to indicate the 

 species, as Pine-G-rosbeak, Cardinal- G-rosbeak, and the like. By 

 earlier writers the word was generally given as an equivalent of 

 the Linnsean Loxia, but that genus, as first established, has been 

 found to include many forms which, according to more recent 

 notions, cannot possibly be placed in the same Family. 



The Pine-Grosbeak, Pinicola enucleator, is, Avith the exception 

 of the Hawfinch just mentioned, the best known species to Avhich 

 the name is applied. It inhabits the conifer-zone of both the Old 

 and the New Worlds, seeking, in Europe and probably elsewhere, a 

 lower latitude as Avinter approaches — often journeying in large 

 flocks ; and stragglers are said to have occasionally reached the 

 British Islands, though the records of not more than four or five 

 such occurrences can be trusted (Yarrell, Br. Birds, ed. 4, ii. pp. 

 177-179). In structure and some of its habits much resembling a 

 Bullfinch, but much exceeding that bird in size, it has the 

 plumage of a CROSSBILL, and appears to undergo exactly the same 

 changes as do the members of the restricted genus Loxia, — the 

 young being of a dull greenish-grey streaked with, brownish-black, 

 the adult hens tinged with golden-green, and the cocks glowing 

 with crimson-red on nearly all the body-feathers, this last colour 

 being replaced after moulting in confinement by bright yellow. 

 Nests of this species were found in 1821 by Zetterstedt near 

 Juckasjarvi in Swedish Lapland, but little was really known with 

 certainty concerning its nidification until 1855, Avhen the late Mr. 

 Wolley, after two years' ineffectual search, succeeded in obtaining 

 in the not very distant district of Muonioniska well-authenticated 

 specimens with the eggs, both of which are like exaggerated Bull- 

 finches' (Hewitson, JEggs Br. B. ed. iii. p. 210*, pi. liii.*). The food 

 of this species seems to consist of the seeds and buds of many sorts 

 of trees, though the staple may very possibly be those of some kind 

 of pine. The cock has a clear and pleasing song, which makes him 

 in many countries a favourite cage-bird ; and the notes of the hen 

 may even be deemed to qualify her as a musician of no small merit. 



Allied to the Pine-Grosbeak are a number of species of smaller 

 size, but its equals in beauty of plumage.^ These have been 

 referred to several genera, such as CMyodacus, Propasser, Bycanetcs, 



^ Many of them are described and beautifully figured in the Monographic des 

 Loxiens of Bonaparte and Schlegel (Leyden and Diisseldorf : 1850), a work which 

 includes, however, all the Crossbills, Redpolls, and Linnets then known to the 

 authors, while it excludes many birds that an English writer would have to call 

 "Grosbeaks." 



