PRINaiLLID.E — TIIK KIXCflES. 



485 



In the inteii.sity, as well as tlio shade of tho red in the males, tlien; is a 

 great range of variation. Generally it is of a tint almost precisely like 

 that of L. (uin-iroiitrd, though deei)er. The most higldy colored specimen 

 is o-i.Tl).""), Pliiladelphia (J. 11. Mcllvaine), whieli is entirely continuous deep 

 tile-red, api)roaching vermilion on the rump. The al)doinen and crissuni 

 are ligiit pinkish. In No. 31,45!), Fort IJae, April, the red is of a curious 

 and very unusual purjdish wine-red sliade. 



The average of western si)ecimens, particularly those from the northwest 

 coast of the Unite<l States, have bills scarcely larger than in the avcra-c uf 

 eastern examples; thus, 18,u:37, Fort Crook, N. Cal., has the bill of the°ame 

 size as No. r.,8u:3, Philadelphia, while No. 53,482. East Humboldt Mountains, 

 has the bill smaller than any other in the collectiijii. 



In color, there are scarcely any tau^dble differences between tiie Fun.pean 

 Loxia curvirostra and the two American varieties, the distinctive chaiacter 

 being 111 the form of the bill and the size; the 0. mMmna is the hirgest of 

 the three, and the bill is ciuite peculiar in form, the h)wer mandible almost 

 equalling the upper in length, and exceeiling it in thickness. L. cnrcirmtm 

 IS slightly smaller, and has the lower mandible much smaller and less power- 

 ful than the upper, being inferior to it both in length, breadth, and thickness. 

 The colors also appear to be rather less intense tlian in C. mcimna. 



The 6'. amcrimna is in every way, the bill especially, smaller than either 

 of the preceding. The lower mandible, although but slightly shorter than 

 the upper, is still much weaker, as in the European bird. The majority of 

 western birds have the bill but slightly larger than casteru, and most of 

 those with large bills are only intermediate between amc-icana and nivA- 

 cana. In some specimens the bill, although almost e(iualling in length 

 that of the latler, has yet the form of the former ; on the other hand, there 

 are specimens with the proportions of the mandibles as in mcdvuuu, while 

 the size is intermediate. 



Tlie following figures will illustrate the dilferences in the size of the bills 

 of the dillerent races. 



Viir. infirirnnn. 

 a)(03cr..'«<!Xko. 



Var. curi'i'nntni. 

 17010 cf.EumiH! 



Vnr. nmrrirnnn v.-ir, amerirnnn. 



mm ,Y, CiUiforiiiu. 6803 J, Pliilmlclphia. 



Specimens from the Columbia Hiver region and northwest coast of the 

 United States appear to have the red more rosaceous and the bill more 

 slender than the tyi)ical style. One specimen (No. .31,450, Fort l!ae) is alto- 

 gether a very peculiar one ; the shadt* of red is ditterent from that of any 

 other specimen, being a dark niaroon-oarniMie, with a dear ash suirusii-n on 

 the back. There are two distinct dusky strijics on the clieek, one o\er tho 



