266 FRINGILLID.E. 



received specimens from various parts of India 

 and Africa. 



In the male, the head is adorned with a full 

 crest of long, loose, silky feathers, which, with 

 the neck, chin, throat, and upper part of the back, 

 are deep black, having purple and green reflec- 

 tions. The middle part of the back, rump, breast, 

 and lower parts, are of a delicate rose red. In a 

 young bird from India, there is no indication of 

 a crest The upper parts are of a dull brown, 

 darker where the black occurs. The under parts 

 dull white, clearer in the centre of the belly. 



FRINGILLID^E. 



OUR next group is that of the Fringillidse, or 

 Finches, composed of birds possessing great 

 perfection of form, or a very considerable deve- 

 lopment of all the members ; as a group they are 

 distributed in all countries, are abundant, and 

 often appear in large flocks. They are admired 

 for their clean appearance and docile manners, 

 and many are in request, and are kept in confine- 

 ment on account of their song. They feed chiefly 

 on grains and seeds, or on the kernels of stone 

 fruits, for the purpose of breaking which the 

 bill is in. some genera constructed of immense 

 strength. During the season of incubation, the 

 food is insects, or their larvse ; and the number 

 of this race of beings now destroyed is almost 

 incredible. In the first sub-family, the Cocco- 

 thraustince, we see the development of the bill 



