282 HISTORY Of 



tlieir note is a slight twittering, which they seldom exert but upon 

 the wing. — This peculiar conformation seems attended with a 

 similar peculiarity of manners. Their food is insects, which they 

 always pursue flying. For this reason during fine weather, when 



black, edged with rusty brown ; sides of tlie neck, just above the wings, 

 blue ash ; rump white ; the throat, fore-part of the neck, and breast, are ot 

 a pale orange; belly white; lesser wing-coverts black, tipped with pale 

 yellow ; quills dusky, with pale yellowish edges ; the tail is forked, the 

 outermost feathers edged with white, the rest black, with whitish edges , 

 logs pale brown. 



The Bullfinch belongs to the family of Grosbeaks. The primary charac- 

 ter of the grosbeaks is that from which they are named. Their beak, in 

 general, is extremely solid and powerful, and, except in the group of bull- 

 finches, is conical and pointed. The tongue is also strong, and has a longi- 

 tudinal furrow ; the head is larger, and more fleshy than in the insectivo- 

 rous birds in general ; the internal toe is free, but the three exterior are 

 connected at their base. Notwithstanding these distinctive peculiarities, 

 there exists considerable difficulty in separating tliis group of birds from 

 many others ; a difficulty, indeed, not peculiar to them, but prevalent iu 

 every branch of zoology, whenever the natural method is attempted to be 

 made the sole basis of arrangement. 



The numerous species of the grosbeaks differ among themselves widely in 

 habits and locality. Particular species are confined to particular countries ; 

 but the genus is spread over almost all moderate climates. The majority of 

 them live in pairs only, solitary and silent ; but others associate iu flocks, 

 and have a pleasing song. Some resort to the interior of woods, while others 

 are found in the open country, in coppices, or in low and marshy situa- 

 tions ; these construct their nests on the branches of elevated trees, 

 or in the midst of thick bushes, wliile those commit their young to 

 the shelter of some hole. In the nature of their aliment they seem more 

 consistent. This, as is sufficiently indicated by the character of the bill, is 

 composed principally of kernels and hai'd grains, from their facility in break, 

 ing which the word coccothraustes has been applied by Brisson, generally, 

 to them all, though Gesner first used it, to distinguish the common species. 

 The CrosshilU, which are found in the northern countries of Europe and 

 America, resemble the grosbeaks, and are supposed by some naturalists to 

 be a species of that genus. 



The Bullfinch is found in most parts of Europe frequenting woods and 

 gardens. In a state of nature the bullfinch has but three cries, all of which 

 are unpleasant : but if man deigns to instruct it nietliodically, and accustom 

 it to liner, mellower, and more lengthened strains, it will listen with atten- 

 tion ; and the docile bird, whether male or female, without relinquishing its 

 native airs, will imitate exactly ; and sometimes even surpass its master. 

 " I know a curious person," says the author of the JEdonologie, " who, 

 having whistled some airs quite plain to a bullfinch, was greatly surprised 

 to hear the bird add such graceful turns, that the master could scarcely re- 

 cognize liis own music, and acknowledged that the scholar e.\celled him." 

 It mu-st, however, be confessed, that, if the bullfinch be ill dii'ccted, it ac- 

 quires harsh strains. A friend of the Comte de Buffou's, saw one that had 



