FRINGILLID.E. 



FIUNGILLin.*:. 



known Common or House-Sparrow (Fringilla domtttiea of authors, 

 Pyryita domeHieo of Cuvier), the companion of civilised man on a 

 large portion of the globe, maj serve as the type. Cuvier makes the 

 Finches, Les Pincpns (FrinyiUa of Cuvier), follow. These have the 

 bill rather leas arched than the sparrows, and a little longer and 

 stronger than the linnets. Their habits are more gay and their song 

 more varied than those of the sparrows ; and the Chaffinch, Le Pincon 

 Ordinaire ( Frinyilla etrlda of Liumeun), may be taken as an illustration 

 of the genus. [L'UAKriM'ii.] The Linnets and Goldfinches (Les 

 Linutteg, Lmana of Bechstein), and Cbardonnerets (Cartluelit of 

 Cuvier) come next, and the Serins or Tarina, Canary Birds, for 

 example. fCANARt BIRO.] Then come the Whidah Finches, Widow- 

 Birds, as they are popularly called (Vidua of Brisson and other 

 authors) ; and next to them the Grosbeaks, Gros-Becs (Cocrolhratute* 

 of Brisson and others), to which Cuvier considers there is a gradual 

 passage from the linnets without any assignable interval, and whose 

 completely conical bill is only distinguishable by its excessive size : 

 of these the Common Grosbeak (Loxia Coccothranxtet of Linnaeus) may 

 be considered aa the type. Pityitu, to which Cuvier assigns certain 

 foreign species, succeeds. It has, as well as Coccothratulei, a large 

 bill, which is slightly compressed, arched above, and sometimes has a 

 salient angle in the middle of the edge of the upper mandible. The 

 Bullfinches (PyrrhtUa) conclude the tribe. 



After the Sparrows Cuvier places the Crossbills (Loxia of Brisson), 

 and the Durbecs (Corythut of Cuvier, Strobilophaga of Vieillot), 

 observing that they cannot be placed at a distance from the bull- 

 finches and crossbills. The bill of Corythut, convex all round, has its 

 point curved above the lower mandible. Colhu he considers as nearly 

 approaching the preceding. 



M. Temminck thus defines the character of the Buntings (Emberiza 

 of Linmeus) : Bill short, strong, conical, compressed, trenchant, 

 without a notch ; mandibles having their edges included (the upper 

 mandible being smaller than the lower), and a little distant from each 

 other at the base. Nostrils basal, rounded, surmounted by the frontal 

 feathers which partially cover them. Feet with three anterior and 

 one posterior toe, the anterior toes entirely divided and the posterior 

 toe with a short and curved nail : in a small number of species this 

 nail is straight and long. Wings with the first quill rather shorter 

 than the second and third, which are the longest Tail forked or 

 slightly rounded. 



It will be observed that in this generic character M. Temminck has 

 omitted the projecting tubercle on the palate, and he gives as a reason 

 for this omission that it is not visible externally. 



The principal food of the Buntings consists of farinaceous seeds, to 

 which insects are occasionally added. The greater number haunt 

 woods and gardens, and build their nests in bushes. Those which 

 have the posterior nail or claw long live among the rocks, or in the 

 plains, and do not frequent the woods. In almost all the species the 

 sexes present a marked difference, the males being variegated with 

 lively and well-defined colours. The young may be distinguished 

 from the females, which they much resemble, by their more sombre 

 colouring, and a greater number of deep spots. None of the indi- 

 genous species moult twice, but the greater part of the foreign species 

 do so regularly, and the colours of the males change considerably in 

 these two moults : in the summer they are adorned with brilliant 

 .colours ; in the winter they put on the modest livery of the female 

 (Temminck.) 



The same ornithologist divides the Buntings into two sections : 



I. The Buntings properly so called. 



These have the posterior claw short and curved, and live in the 

 woods and gardens. They appear to moult but once a year. Some 

 parts of their plumage, which are coloured with lively tints in the 

 summer, are clouded in winter by the ashy shading with whii-h tin- 

 feather* are terminated ; these colours are without mixture in the 

 spring, especially the deep black, till it becomes clouded with reddish 

 after the autumnal moult The common Yellow Hammer (Embtrita 

 citrituUa) may be taken as an example of this section, which also 

 contains, among other species, the Ortolan (Embcrwa hnrlulana of 

 I.MIIM-UII, Ortolan Bunting of Latham) and the Cirl-Bunting (Emberiia 

 Cirliu of Liniueus). 



IL The Spur-Buntings (Bruaus Kporonuicn, Plectrophanes 

 of Meyer). 



This section has the back claw long and but very slightly arched. 

 The specie* composing it live always on the ground in open places. 

 Their moult is simple and ordinary, but the colours of the plumage 

 change considerably by rubbing and the action of the air and light, so 

 that their summer dress appear* very different from that which these 

 birds assume in the autumn. 



The numerous genera into which, as we have seen, the genus 

 Frinyilla of Illiger has been subdivided, do not accord with M. 

 Temrainck's views ; and aa this excellent ornithologist has aa much 

 practical experience aa any of those who have mode this interesting 

 branch of natural history their study, and prrhnpn more, -.,- think 

 it right to put the student in possession of his opinions on this 

 (object 



M. T*mminek, then, thus defines his genus Qros-Bec (Fringilla of 



Illiger) : Bill short, strong, convex, straight, and completely conical ; 

 upper mandible swollen as it were, a little inclined towards the 

 point, without any arete, and with the upper part depressed, often 

 prolonged into an angle between the frontal feathers. Nostrils basal, 

 round, placed near the front, behind the homy elevation of tbu 

 swollen part of the bill, partially hidden by the feathers of tin' front . 

 Feet with the tarsus shorter than the middle toe ; the anterior toes 

 entirely divided. Wings short ; the second or third quills graduated, 

 the third or fourth longest Tail varying in form. 



These birds, according to M. Temminck, feed on all sorts of seeds 

 and grains, which they open with the bill, at the same time rejecting 

 the husk ; it is only very rarely that insects are added to this diet. 

 They inhabit all the countries of the globe, but particularly the 

 regions of the torrid zone and warm latitudes. They raise many 

 broods annually, collect together in numerous flocks, and migrate in 

 associated flights. Of all the winged class they are, after the Pigeons 

 and Gallinaceous Birds, the most easily domesticated. The greater 

 number of foreign species and some European undergo a double 

 moult. When this takes place, the male assumes in winter the livery 

 of the female. The young of the year differ from the old ones 

 brtfore the autumnal moult ; but after that period it becomes 

 impossible to distinguish them. 



Upon this extensive genus M. Temminck proceeds to remark that 

 methodists have essayed to class these birds in many genera, under 

 the designations of Strobiloplioga, Coccothrautta, Frinyillii, Piuarr, 

 Pyrgila, Vidua, Linaria, and Carduelu. The manners of all these 

 birds being, with some slight shades of difference, absolutely the 

 same, it is impossible, in his opinion, to have recourse to the invention 

 of new names as the means of subdividing this great group. M. 

 Temminck declares that he took the greatest pains to compare more 

 than a hundred foreign species with our indigenous species, and the 

 result of this examination confirmed him ill the conclusion that there 

 exists a gradual passage, without any demarcation, from one spi -i i. .- 

 to another. This natural series has, he observes, been recognised l>y 

 Illiger, who unites all these birds with a thick and conical bill (' K 

 bee gros et conique') in one great genus under the name of Frin<jill<i, 

 comprising the Bullfinches (Pyrrhula) therein. M. Temminck, how- 

 ever, thinks that these last ought to be classed in a distinct genus, in 

 consequence of the form of the bill, certain habit*, and perhaps also 

 with reference to the countries they inhabit. The genus Loxia, he 

 remarks, has been restored by Illiger to the limits assigned to it by 

 Brisson ; and he adds that he (M. Temminck) has separated from tin- 

 genus Lojria of Linnaeus a species singularly characterised by the 

 form of the bill, under the name of Pnllirottra. M. Cuvier, he goes 

 on to observe, has, in the 'Hegne Animal,' indicated, rather than 

 established characteristically, many genera and sub-genera. M. Cnvier 

 allows that there is a gradual passage, without any assignable 

 interval, from the Linnets to the Grosbeaks. The species of his 

 genus Vidua, or Widow-Birds, are distinguished by some of the 

 upper coverts of the tail being excessively elongated in the males. 

 This distinction, available for recognising the males only, disappears 

 in the moult; for in winter they have no conformation of t 

 differing from that of the females ; and at that season it would be 

 difficult to pronounce whether they were Linnets, Sparrows, or 

 Finches (Pinsons). M. Temminck agrees that to facilitate the 

 methodical arrangement of the great number of species composing 

 this genus, it is necessary to have recourse to an artificial classification, 

 by the aid of which the species may be easily found. The simplest. 

 method, in his opinion, is to form three sections in the genus 

 FringUla, under indications which have more or less reference to the 

 three different groups of bills, which may be separated into Lalicona, 

 Srevicona, and Longiconet. In the first section may be comprised, 

 be thinks, the greater number of the pretended Loxia of authors, 

 some soi-diwint Beugalies, and the Sparrows (Moiueaux), wliieli 

 resemble ours in the colours of their plumage; in the second, some 

 Sparrows (Moineaux) of authors, the Finches (Piusons), the Linnets 

 (Linottes), and those indicated as Widow-Birds ( Yiiiuir), Bcngalies, 

 and Senegalies; in the third the Tarius, some Senegalies, and the 

 Chardonnereta. 



I. Laticontt. 

 Bill Urge, convex, more or less swollen on the sides. 



The Grosbeak, Haw-Grosbeak, or Hawfinch (Loxia Coccothraiula 

 of Linntcua, Fringi/ta Coccolhrautla of Temminck), is placed by that 

 author at the head of this section, which contains, among other 

 specie*, the Green Grosbeak or Greenfinch (Loxia chlorit of Linutcug, 

 Frinyilla chlorit of Temminck) and the Common Sparrow. 



II. Brevjcotut. 



Bill in the shape of a cone, more or less short, straight, and 



cylindrical, often conical throughout. 



M. Temminck commences this section with the Chaffinch. The 

 Linnets also belong to it 



III. Longiconti. 



Bill in the form of n straight cone, long, and compressed ; 



points of the two mandibles sharp. 



The Citril Finch (Frinyilln Citrintlla of Linnicus) appears at the 

 head of this section, which also comprise*, among other species, the 



