A FINCH OF ROSEATE HUE 75 



species. Blue seems to be the only colour not vouch- 

 safed to the Fringillidce. 



Several of the finches have the gift of song. This 

 being so, it is regrettable that the particular species 

 of finch which, like the poor, is always with us should 

 have such an execrable voice. If sparrows sang like 

 canaries what a pleasing adjunct to London they would 

 be! 



The gross, massive beak of the finch, though not good 

 to look upon, is of great value as a seed-husking 

 machine. No one can have watched a canary for five 

 minutes without observing the address with which 

 each little seed is picked up, cracked, and the husk 

 rejected by the joint action of tongue and mandibles. 



Sixty-four species of finch occur within the limits 

 of the Indian Empire. Of these fifteen species are 

 known as rose-finches. Rose-finches are birds of 

 about the size of a sparrow. The plumage of the 

 cocks is more or less suffused with crimson, while that 

 of the hens is dark greyish olive sometimes washed 

 with yellow. Rose-finches are essentially birds of a 

 cold climate ; they are found in Northern Europe, 

 Asia, and America. All the Indian species, save one, 

 are confined to the Himalayas and the country north 

 of those mountains. The one exception is the species 

 known as the common rose-finch (Carpodacus ery- 

 thrinus). This spreads itself during the winter all over 

 the plains of India as far south as the Nilgiris. I do 

 not remember having seen it in or about Madras, 

 but it may sometimes visit that city. In April this 

 rose-finch goes north to breed, a few individuals 



