44 



A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Genus COCCOTHRAUSTES Briss. 



CoccoTHBAusTES Brisson, Orn., i, p. 36 (1760 — Type by tautonymy : 

 Coccothraustes, cf. Brisson, Orn., m, p. 218). 



At once recognizable by enormous bill, ^^■llicl^ is about as wide 

 as high at base, and not much longer. Tail short and square, 

 only slightly emarginated in middle ; about half as long as wing. 

 1st primary liidden, 2nd about as long as 3rd and 4th which 

 are longest, 5th a little shorter, following ones cut square at tijjs 

 and emarginated on inner ^ebs. Feet short and strong ; tarsus 

 about as long as middle toe. Sexes differ little. Young different ; 

 under-parts spotted crossways. One species in four forms in 

 Europe, north-west Africa, north Asia. 



COCCOTHRAUSTES COCCOTHRAUSTES 



1 6. Coccothraustes coccothraustes coccothraustes (L.) — THE 

 HAWFINCH. 



LoxiA Coccothraustes Linnjeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 171 (1758 — 

 " Habitat in Europa australiori." Restricted typical locality : Italy). 

 Coccothraustes vulgaris Pallas, Yarrell, ii, p. 98 ; Saunders, p. 171. 



Hawfinch (Coccothraustes c. coccothraustes) , 

 bill and part of 6th (curled) primary. 



Description. — Adult male. Winter. — ^Narrow line on fore-head, 

 lores, chin, and centre of throat black ; fore-part of crown, ear- 

 coverts, cheeks, and rump yellowish-bro^\'n ; rest of crown, nape, 

 and upper tail-coverts deeper rufous-brown ; hind-neck pinkish- 

 grey ; mantle and scapulars rich umber ; breast and flanks pinkisli- 

 broA\Ti, darker on flanks ; centre of belly grejdsh-Mhite ; vent, 

 under tail-coverts, and axillaries ^^•hite ; tail : centre pair base 

 black, distal part grey and rufous-brown, tipped white, other tail- 

 feathers with black Ijasal, white distal, halves, outer webs black 

 fringed rufous ; primaries : jet-black, tipped glossy- green and purple 

 with middle portion of feathers white on inner Avebs ; secondaries 

 same but with less white, and outer webs fringed glossy-purple, 

 inner secondaries brown ; primary-coverts black, glossy on outer 

 webs ; greater coverts with brownish-A^liite outer and black inner 



