Tin: i iiu.iA x I-, 



"A red male now l*>fore in- hud completed hla moult during his first autumn, ha* 



the back dull reddish-brown, darkest in <-.l..r towards the tip of th.- iip|r mandible ; the head, 

 rump. throat, breast, and IK-UN ti'.- red ; t| u feather* on the back mixed with 



a chestnut brown; wing-coverta, and quills, and tail -feat hen nearly uniform dark 



" A second male l>inl. killed at the Mine time as the red bird jtut described, baa the head, 



rump, and undi-r surface of the \\\ jiule \.-llow, tinged with given, the back olive-brown ; 

 \MH_-- .iM<l i. in feather* like ;:.. of tin- red 1'iid. 



\ third inali-. killed at the same time, has the top of the head and the bark a mixture 

 of reddish-brown and dark orange; tin- rump i. -dd Mi-orange ; the upper tail-covert* linht 

 oraii.:'- . ih- chin. threat, and up]-r |rt of the breast red, pflTffing OH the lower part of the 

 breast, belly, and sides to oraiii: 



"Bed males that have moulted in confinement have changed during tin- moult to greenish- 

 yellow, and others to light yellow ; thus apparently indicating thai the \ .-How color in that of 

 the older livery ; but young males, as -lieerved, certainly som.-timt-s duinge at once to 



yellow, without going through either the red or the orange-colored stage*. The lightest colon, 

 wh'-ih.-r -i.-. h. yellow, red, or orange, pervade the feathers of the rump and the upjier tail- 

 coverts. 



In captivity I have known several instances of red and yellow-colored specimens chang- 

 ing back to dull brown, as dark or even darker than their early plumage. This might be the 

 effect of particular food, which is known to exercise such an influence on other birds ; but 

 whether having once assumed light tints, they ever in a wild and healthy state go back to 

 olive-brown or more dull colors, has not, I believe, been ascertained." 



The young birds are dark green, covered with horizontal dashes of black. They aft- 

 wards a>-um-- their yearling plumage, which is a general dull brown, grayish white on the 

 head, and with the under surface of the body liberally streaked with a darker tint. The 

 female is of a .!_'! -n yllow, with a dash of brown on the top of the head and the upper sur- 

 face of the body, changing into a purer yellow on the upper tail-cov* 



The total length of the male bird is rather more than six inches, and the female frequently 

 reaches seven inches in length. 



THE CROSS-BILL (Lorin n/rrirnxfrn) is very closely allied to the Euro|Miin sjwcies. It 

 breeds in the high northern latitudes, and d urine the severe winter weather t i-it- the pine 

 forests of New England and the Middle States. The color of plumag* is much the same as in 

 the Purple Finch and Tine Finch. When kept a- a (N-I, in a caire. it lia.s many of the habits 

 of the parrots. Two -|-i -i--s are recognized th.- pr."--nt, an 1 tin- Whiti-wiujred. 



There are thirteen other birds closely alli-d to the preceding, including the Rosy Finch. 

 Mealy Red-poll, Linnets, and other interesting species. 



THE PLANT-CCTTEBS derive their name from their habit of seizing the plants on which 

 they feed, and nipping their M.-ms asunder with their sharp bills as neatly as if they had 

 been cut wi:h shears. They are a,l of moderate >i-. aU.nt equalling the bullfinch in dim.-n 

 sions. In order to enable them to obtain their fo<d. their beak* are very sharp and slightly 

 notched. 



THE CHILIAN Pi.ANT-rn-mi is rather a large species, be ' to a thru-h in dimen- 



sions. It is a common bin! in its native country, and is most destructive to t 

 very fond of -proutin- in. ami. not cont.-nt with eating the green blades, it seem* to tind 

 such pleasure in th. of its bill that it cuts down hundreds of stalks as if in mere 



wantonness, and leaves the-green >t. -m- l\ ing strewed about the ground. On account of these 

 destructive propensities it is greatly persecuted by the agriculturists, !i. 'rap 



and further aid in its extermination by setting a price on its head, and giving a certain snro 

 to every one who will bring in a dead b*.rd. 



