FRINGILLID.E — THE FINCHES. 



457 



longer, the tail less einarginate. Other differences exist in the grooves and 

 ridges of tlie palate, which need not be here referred to. The middle claw 

 is about equal to hind claw ; 

 not longer, as in Pinicola. 



The genus Pyrrhida is an Old 

 World one ; extending across 

 from the Atlantic to the Pacific, 

 six or eight species or varieties 

 being recognized by naturalists. 

 All have the back ash-colored; 

 the wings and tail, with top of 

 head, lustrous black ; the under 

 parts ash, generally with ver- Pyrrhuia cassM. 



milion on the cheeks and chin, sometimes extending over the wliole under 

 surface ; the rump and crissum white : the females similar, but lacking the 

 vermilion. Its introduction into the North American fauna rests on the col- 

 lecting by the naturalists of the Kussian Telegraph Expedition in Alaska of 

 a specimen which — if a full-plumaged male, as stated — differs from all of 

 its congeners in the entire absence of any vermilion tint. 



Pyrrhula cassini, Baihd. 



CASSIN'S BULLFINCH. 



P. coccinea, var. cassini, Baird, Trans. Chicago, Ac. Sc. I, 1869, ii, p. 316. — Dall & 

 Bannister, Tr. Chic. Ac. I, 1869, 281 (Alaska). P. cassini, Tristram, Ibis, 1871, 

 231.— FiN.scH, Oniith. N. W. Amerikas, 1872, 54. 



Sp. Char. Description of specimen No. 49,955 : Upper parts clear ash-gray, as are the 

 alula, and the lesser and middle secondary and the primary wing-coverts. Under parts 



and the sides of head cinnamon-gray ; the 

 inside of wings and axillars, anal region, 

 tibia, crissum, and rump white ; wings 

 and tail, including upper tail-coverts, the 

 entire toji of head (to level of eyes), the 

 base of bill all round, and the chin, lus- 

 trous violet-black. Greater wing-coverts 

 black, with a broad band of ashy-wliite 

 across the ends ; outer primaries, exter- 

 nally, with a narrow border of grayish- 

 white near the ends ; inner edges suf- 

 fused with the same. Outer tail-feathers 

 with an elongated patch of white in the 

 terminal half, along the shaft, but not reaching the tip. Bill black ; feet dusky. 



Dimensions (prepared specimen) : Total length, 6.50 ; wing, 3.55 ; tail, 3.25. E.xposed 

 portion of first primary, 2.65. Bill : Length from forehead, .44 ; from nostril, .34. Legs : 

 Tarsus, .75 ; claw alone, .26 ; hind toe and claw, .45 ; claw alone, .25. 

 58 



Pi/rr/iula cassini. 



