THE GROSBEAK — THE CROSSBILL. 175 



The Hedge-Sp ARROW softly his song in the dell 

 Trill'd; the Petty-chaps louder his note was heard 

 swell ; 



a strong bill, both mandibles being convex, thick, and move- 

 able ; nostrils small, round ; tongue truncate. The chief species 

 are as follow : 



The ChloriSf Green-Grosbeak, Green- Linnet ^ or Greenfinch, 

 is rather larger than the house-sparrow ; head and back yel- 

 lowish green, edges of the feathers greyish ; the rump and 

 breast more yellow. The plumage of the female much less 

 vivid, inclining to brown. Inhabits England, Europe gene- 

 rally, and Kamtschatka ; gregarious in winter ; builds a neat 

 nest, generally in some bush ; eggs five or six, whitish with 

 blood-coloured spots. Feeds chiefly on grain and seeds. Song 

 trifling, but in continement it becomes tame and docile, and will 

 catch the note of other birds. 



The Coccothraustes, Grosbeak, Hawfinch, or Cherryfinch, is 

 of a chesnut ash-colour j wings with a white line ; about six 

 inches long; varies in its plumage. Inhabits Europe; it visits 

 England in the autumn, and continues here till April. Feeds 

 on hawthorn-berries, breaking the stones of that fruit with ease 

 to obtain the kernel. It sometimes sings here in warm winter 

 days. It breeds in France; eggs bluish green spotted with 

 brown. 



The Enucleaior, Pine- Grosbeak, or GreatesUBulfinch, is 

 larger than the last ; head, neck, breast, and rump, crimson ; 

 the back and lesser coverts of the wings black, edged with 

 reddish, beneath ash colour. Female brown tinged with 

 green. Found in the northern parts of the kingdom in the 

 pine forests, on the seeds of which it feeds, where also it is 

 supposed it breeds. Found also in North America, Hudson's 

 Bay, Siberia, and northern Europe. Eggs four, white. 



The Curvirustra, Crossbill, or Sheld-applCf is the most re- 

 markable of the tribe, six inches and a half long. Both man- 



