68 



PASSERES. 



1-RINGILLID.E. 



FRINGILLID^E. 



Fringilla ccelees Linnffius*. 

 THE CHAFFINCH. 



Fring'dla coelchs. 



Fringilla, Linnceus^. — Bill hard, straight, somewhat long, nearly conical, 

 but bulging slightly and pointed ; mandibles nearly equal, edges plain. Nostrils 

 basal, lateral, oval, partly hidden by projecting and recurved frontal plumes. 

 Gape straight. "Wings with the first primary finely attenuated and so small as to 

 seem wanting, the rest varying in their comparative length in different species, 

 but the second always shorter than the third, which or the fourth is longest iti 

 the wing. Tail moderately long and decidedly forked. Tarsus stout, shortish, 

 scutellate in front, covered at the sides with a single plate. Claws moderately 

 curved, rather short. 



The male Chaffinch is one of the most handsome and 

 sprightly of our common small birds, and being also confi- 

 dent in his behaviour, as though courting the notice of men, 

 is extremely well known throughout nearly all parts of the 



* Syst. Nat. Ed. 12, i. p. 318 (17GU). f Torn. cil. p. 317. 



