PINE GROSBEAK. 155 



The Pine Grosbeak measures nine inches in length, and four- 

 teen inches in extent; the head, neck, breast and rump is of a 

 rich crimson, palest on the breast; the feathers on the middle of 

 the back are centered with arrow-shaped spots of black, and 

 skirted with crimson, which gives the plumage a considerable 

 flush of red there; those on the shoulders are of a deep slate co- 

 lour, partially skirted with red and light ash. The greater wing- 

 coverts and next superior row are broadly tipt with white, and 

 slightly tinged with reddish; wings and tail black, edged with 

 light brown; tail considerably forked ; lower part of the belly 

 ash colour; vent feathers skirted with white, and streaked with 

 black; legs glossy black; bill a brownish horn colour, very thick, 

 short and hooked at the point; the upper mandible overhanging 

 the lower considerably, approaching in its form to that of the 

 parrot; base of the bill covered with recumbent hairs of a dark 

 brown colour. The whole plumage, near the roots, as in most 

 other birds, is of a deep bluish ash colour. The female was half 

 an inch shorter, and answered nearly to the above description; 

 only, those parts that in the male were crimson, were in her of 

 a dirty yellowish colour. The female, according to Foster, re- 

 ferred to above, has those parts which in the male are red, more 

 of an orange tint; and he censures Edwards for having represent- 

 ed the female of too bright a red. It is possible, that my speci- 

 men of the female might have been a bird of the first season, not 

 come to its full colours. Those figured by Mr. Edwards* were 

 both brought from Hudson's Bay, and appear to be the same with 

 the one now before us, though his colouring of the female differs 

 materially from his description. 



If this, as Mr. Pennant asserts, be the same species with that 

 of the eastern continent, it would seem to inhabit almost the 

 whole extent of the arctic regions. It is found in the north of 

 Scotland, where Pennant suspects it breeds. It inhabits Europe 

 as far north as Dronthiem; is common in all the pine forests of 

 Asia, in Siberia, and the north of Russia, is taken in autumn 



* Edw. vol. Ill, p. 124, 



