FHINGILLIU.K - THE FIXCIIES. 



459 



brown anil violot-colored s])f)t,s, tliat usually form a rinjr aronnd the larj^i^r 

 end. Tiioir I'ood is grain and small seeds, and, in sprinj^, the Inids of certain 

 trees. 



The P>ulllinch is a favorite cai;e-bird, soon reconciled to cont^.ncment, and 

 capable of bein-^ taught to whistle whole airs of opera music with wonderful 

 exactness and beauty. 



Genus CARPODACUS, Kaup. 



Ctirimlacu.1, Kaii', "Kiitw. Euioi.. Tlii.Tw. 1820." (Tyiie, Loxiti n-jithrimi, I'ali..) 



ErijthroKpixd, Bonapautk, Sai,'Kio di una (list. met. 1831. 



llmmori-hous, Swainson, Class. Hiids, II, 1837, •!<.)'>. (V\\w, Frlmjilla jmrjuom, Cmki.ix.) 



Ciiah. Bill short, stout, vaulted ; the culinen duoiirvi'd towuids tlio oiul ; the i;otniiii.ssiu-e 

 nearly straii;lit to the .'ilijflitly deeurved 

 end. A .'slight development of hristly 

 feathers along the sides of the liill, oon- 

 cealing the nostrils. Tarsus .shorter 

 than the middle toe ; lateral elaws 

 reaching to the base of the middle one. 

 Claw of hind toe nnioh curved, smaller 

 than the middle one, and rather le.is 

 than the digital portion. Wings long 

 and pointed, reaching to the middh^ of 

 the tail, which is considerably shorter 

 than tlie wing, and moderately forked. 

 Colors red, or red and brown. FemitJe 

 with the red rejilaced by brown. Carpodncus fmitnih 



The genus Carpodacii.% including the American Purple Finches, is com- 

 posed of sjiecies the males of which are more or less red in full ])lumagc, 

 while the females are broM-n-streaked. They are spread o\er Xorth America, 

 and species also occur m considerable numbers in Northern Europe and 

 Asia. 



Species and Varieties. 



A. Culinen only slightly curved. Tail and wing feathers edged with reddish in 



tlic male. 



a. (J. Crown much I)righter purple than the rump or throat. ?. Without 

 lighter superoral and ma.\illary stripes, the whole head being pretty uni- 

 formly streaked. 



1. C. caasini. ^. Crown bright crimson; re.st of head, bren.st, rump, 

 etc., much lighter purple-pink; hurer tdil-mverfu irilh a shaft line nf 

 (Imhj. Hab. Mountain regions of the Middle Province, .south, through 

 the table-lauds and alpine regions of Mexico, to Mirador. 



h. $. Crown scarcely brighter purple than tlie rump or throat. 9. With 

 conspicuous superoi'al and ma.xillary strii>es. 



2. C. purpureuB. Ciown purjile ; rest of head, briMst, rump, etc., 

 nearly similar in tint; hirer tuil-coverh withoiit dn.sky shaft-lines. 



Purple tints of a rosy carmine cast ; first quill longer tlian the 

 fourth. Hah. Eastern Province of Xorth America . \ar. j) u r j> 11 r r n .1 . 



