THE BIRD-LIFE OF LONDON 
The adult male Goldfinch has the general colour 
of the upper parts chestnut-brown, shading into white 
on the upper tail-coverts and into greyish white on the 
nape; the crown and a band round the ear-coverts 
are black; the forehead is crimson; the feathers at the 
base of the bill and the lores are also black; the wings 
are black, barred with yellow and tipped with white ; 
the tail is black, the outer feathers with a white spot 
on the inner web, the rest tipped with white; the 
throat is crimson, the remainder of the under parts 
white, shading into brown on the flanks. Bill flesh- 
colour, darkest at the tip; tarsi and toes pinkish brown ; 
irides brown. Length 54 inches. ‘The female is a trifle 
duller in colour than the male. ‘The nestling lacks the 
black and red on the head, the under parts are browner, 
and the breast is faintly spotted. 
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