218 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Description. 



rear for the purpose of fighting, after the manner 

 of European game cocks. 



THE GOLDFINCH. 



THIS handsome-shaped bird, highly esteemed 

 in every part of the kingdom, both for singing 

 and the beauty of its colours, has a straight sharp 

 ash-coloured bill, and eyes of a hazel-colour. 

 The length of a full grown one, from the tip of 

 the bill to the point of the tail, is five inches and 

 a half, of which the latter is two, and the former 

 little more than half an inch long; when in flesh 

 it weighs about an ounce. A ring of curious 

 scarlet-coloured feathers encompass the forepart 

 of his head, or basis of the bill, and from the 

 eyes to the bill on each side is drawn a black 

 line, the jaws or cheeks white, the top of the 

 head black, from which a broad black line is ex- 

 tended on both sides, almost to the neck; the 

 hinder part of the head is white; the neck, and 

 fore-part of the back, are of a reddish ash-colour: 

 the rump, breast, and sides of the same, but a 

 little paler; the belly whitish, the wings and tail 

 black; only the tips of the principal feathers in 

 both are white; besides, the wings are adorned 

 with a most beautiful transverse stroke of yellow. 

 The feathers on the ridge of the wing in the 

 cock are coal-black, quite up to the shoulder, 

 whereas in the hen-bird, though they appear 



