134 AVES 1NSESSORES. [FRINGILLA. 



gray. Obs. This species is subject to much variation of plumage, espe- 

 cially about the wings, which are occasionally almost entirely white. 

 (Egg.) Pale purplish white, sparingly streaked and spotted with red 

 brown: long. diam. nine lines and a half; trans, diam. seven lines. 



Common throughout the country. In song from the first week in 

 February, to the end of June, or beginning of July. Nest placed against 

 the side of a tree, or in the forked branch of a bush ; constructed princi- 

 pally of moss, elegantly studded on the outside with lichens and wool, 

 and lined with feathers and hair. Eggs four or five in number; laid 

 about the third week in April. Collects in flocks, at the approach of 

 Winter. 



92. F. Montifringilla, Linn. (Mountain Finch.) 

 Head, cheeks, nape, and upper part of the back, black : 

 rump white : axillae bright gamboge-yellow. 



F. Montifringilla, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. i. p. 360. Mountain 

 Finch, Selb. Illust. vol. i. p. 306. pi. 54. f. 5. & 5*. Bew. Brit. Birds, 

 vol. i. p. 190. Brambling, Mont. Orn. Diet. 



DIMENS. Entire length six inches five lines : length of the bill (from 

 the forehead) five lines, (from the gape) six lines and a half; of the tarsus 

 ten lines ; of the tail two inches seven lines ; from the carpus to the end 

 of the wing three inches eight lines : breadth, wings extended, ten 

 inches seven lines. 



DESCRIPT. (Male in Winter.) Head, cheeks, nape, sides of the neck, 

 and upper part of the back, black ; the feathers edged and tipped with 

 reddish brown and ash-gray : throat, fore part of the neck, breast, scapu- 

 lars, and lesser wing-coverts, pale orange-brown ; greater coverts black, 

 tipped with orange-red ; quills black, edged with yellow on their outer 

 webs ; some of the primaries with a white spot at the base, forming an 

 oblique bar of that colour when the wing is closed : axillae bright gam- 

 boge-yellow : rump, belly, and under tail-coverts, white : sides inclining 

 to reddish, with a few dusky spots : tail black ; the two middle feathers 

 edged with reddish ash ; the outer one white on the exterior web : bill 

 lemon -yellow at the base, black at the tip : irides dusky : feet grayish 

 brown. In Summer, the plumage on the head, neck, and back, is deep 

 black, without the edging of reddish brown: the bill is also bluish. 

 (Female.) Colours not so bright : crown of the head reddish brown, the 

 feathers edged with ash-gray; a black streak above the eye; cheeks, 

 nape, and sides of the neck, cinereous ; back dusky brown, the feathers 

 broadly margined with reddish ash : the rufous tinge on the breast and 

 wings much fainter than in the male bird. In young birds the throat is 

 white. (Egg.) " Spotted with yellowish." TEMM . 



A native of the northern parts of Europe. In this country only a 

 winter visitant, making its appearance towards the end of Autumn, and 

 departing early in the Spring. Is more plentiful, and more generally 

 distributed, some seasons than others, according to the state of the 

 weather. Habits very similar to those of the last species. Said to build 

 in fir and pine-forests, and to construct a nest of moss and wool, lined with 

 hair and feathers : eggs five in number. 



(2. PYRGITA, Cuv.) 



93. F. domestica, Linn. (House Sparrow.) Crown 

 and occiput bluish ash ; cheeks, and sides of the neck, grayish 

 white : a transverse whitish bar on the wing. 



