298 FRINGILLA. 



wings are deep blackish brown, the greater and 

 less coverts tipped with white, forming thus two 

 bars across the shoulder; the secondaries are 

 broadly margined with reddish brown, the quills 

 with narrow margin of the same colour on their 

 outer web, broadening where the web widens, 

 and extending to the shaft at the base. The 

 rump, upper tail coverts, and tail, are umber 

 "brown, the latter with the feathers having pale 

 edges. x The under parts are grayish white, tinted 

 with yellowish brown on the sides of the breast 

 and flanks. In the female the markings are less 

 distinct, and the black and chestnut of the head 

 more subdued. 



Our next genus is composed of the typical 

 birds of the present sub-family, the Fringttbe or 

 Finches, more elegant in their form than the 

 last, and possessing a greater variety in the dis- 

 tribution of the colours of their plumage. They 

 are principally natives of rather temperate cli~ 

 mates, Europe and America being their strong- 

 holds. At the same time, these countries can 

 scarcely with strictness be called their geogra- 

 phical limit, for we believe that some of them 

 pass the Asiatic boundary ; while it is not certain 

 that Northern Africa, and some of the islands 

 which are generally placed as belonging to that 

 continent, do not possess typical species. They 

 are subject to a marked periodical change of 

 plumage, and most species are partially or wholly 

 migratory. 



