194 FBINGILLIDJE. 



Family FRINGILLID^. 



The intrinsic muscles of the syrinx fixed to the ends of the 

 bronchial semi-rings ; the edges of the mandibles smooth ; the 

 hinder part of the tarsus longitudinally bilaminated, the laminae*, 

 entire and smooth ; wing with nine primaries, the first and second 

 about equal in length ; secondary quills reaching about three- 

 quarters the length of the wing ; bill more or less conical ; tail of 

 twelve feathers ; tarsus scutellated ; nostrils pierced close to the 

 line of the forehead and very near the culmen; rictal bristles 

 few and short ; plumage of nestling various ; sexes generally 

 dissimilar. 



The Fringillidce or Finches comprise a very large number of 

 birds which have a considerable general resemblance to each other, 

 and are characterized by points of structure which render their 

 separation from other groups comparatively easy. 



Although Einches have, as a rule, but one moult a year, yet their 

 summer and winter plumages differ considerably in many of the 

 species. In spring and summer the margins of the feathers are 

 lost by abrasion or by being cast off, and then the colour of 

 the parts affected becomes more uniform and frequently more 

 brilliant. 



The Pinches are normally granivorous or frugivorous, but they 

 also eat insects and the young are fed entirely on these. They are 

 for the most part gregarious and arboreal, but they descend to the 

 ground freely to pick up food. Many of them are good songsters, 

 and they are all hardy and bear captivity well. 



Sharpe, in the twelfth volume of the British Museum Catalogue 

 of Birds, has treated this family in a very complete and satisfactory 

 manner. This was the first Catalogue written by him with the 

 combined Hume and Tweeddale Collections at his disposal. I 

 follow him in the arrangement of this group, and I have found no 

 reason to differ from him except in some minor matters, such as 

 the extent of a few of the genera. 



The Fringillidce may be divided into three very natural sub- 

 families by the character of the shape of the skull and bill. 



