74 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



Genus PYRRHULA Briss. 



Pyrrhxtla Brisson, Orn. i, p. 3fi (1760 — Tj-pe by tautonymy " P5Trhula," 

 according to Briss., Orn. iii, p. 308, i.e. the Bullfinch). 



Easily recognizable by its short, roundsh, thick bill. 

 2nd primary about equal to 6th, 3rd to 5th about equal and 

 longest, though only a few mm. longer than 2nd and 6th, 3rd 

 to 6th emarginated on distal half. Tail (in the European species) 

 square, upper tail-coverts very long, beyond middle of tail. 

 Tarsus short, not much longer than middle toe with claw. 

 Sexes different in colour, young different from both adults, but 

 more like female. Palaearctic, but extending into Himalayas, 

 Malay Peninsula, Formosa, and Philippines in the east. 



PYRRHULA PYRRHULA 



29. Pyrrhula pyrrhula pyrrhula (L.) — THE NORTHERN 

 BULLFINCH. 



LoxiA Pyrrhula Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. x, i, p. 171 (1758 — Europe. 

 Restricted typical locality : Sweden). 

 P. major, Saunders, p. 195 (in text). 



A. Northern Bullflnch (Pyrrhula p. pyrrhula); B. British Bullfinch {Pyrrhula p . pileata. 



Description. — Adult male. — ^Like P. p. pileata but larger and purer 

 and paler blue-grey on upper-parts and brighter pink on under- 

 parts, tips of outer greater wing-coverts generally whiter, not so buff. 



Adult female. — ^Like P. p. pileata but larger and much greyer 

 and paler on upper- and under-parts (the nape paler grey than 

 even in male pileata) ; lesser and median coverts blue-grey, inner 

 greater coverts tipped pale grey, and outer greyish-white. 



Juvenile. — ^Like P. p. pileata except for larger size. 



Measurements and structure. — (^ wing 90-98 mm., tail 63-70, 

 tarsus 18-20, bill from feathers 9-10 mm. (12 measured). $ wing 

 87-92. Structure as P. p. pileata. 



Soft parts. — ^As P. p. pileata. 



Characters and allied forms. — ^Except for P. p. kamtschatica 

 this is the largest and palest form. 



Field-characters. — Even at a little distance distinctly larger 

 and " cleaner " looking than British Bullfinch. Call -note 

 louder (H.F.W.). 



