s BULLFINCH. 157 



BULLFINCH. 



Pyrrhula Europ<za ; BouvreuiL Commun ; Rothgiinpel. 

 Hoop ; Red Hoop ; Nope. 



Bill, black and very thick ; legs and claws, brown ; 

 crown of the head and chin, glossy black ; nape of the 

 neck, back, and lesser wing-coverts, bluish-grey or 

 lavender ; lower part of back, white, and very con- 

 spicuous when the bird is on the wing ; throat, breast, 

 and abdomen, red ; greater wing-coverts, black, with 

 white ends forming a bar ; rest of the wing and tail,, 

 black. Length, over six inches. 



This very handsome bird is rapidly becoming scarce in 

 Ireland, although still, I think, much more plentiful than 

 the Goldfinch. It may be seen in various localities 

 about Dublin; in particular, I have hardly ever passed 

 along the road from Finglas to Mulhuddart without 

 noticing a pair or two of Bullfinches flitting along before 

 me. I have never heard this bird sing ; but I am told 

 that it sings in a low and plaintive strain. The call-note, 

 " hoop, hoop, hoop," I have, however, often heard, and it 

 has frequently revealed the presence of the bird, which 

 I had not suspected before. It was remarked by an 

 acute observer, in the case of a pair of Bullfinches 

 wending their way along a green lane, with the cock 

 somewhat in advance, that their call-note was never 

 heard unless the distance between the two birds was 

 more than about twenty yards, the male bird then 

 deeming it necessary to let the female know exactly 

 where he was. In confinement the Bullfinch may be 



