FRINGILLID^ — THE FINCHES. 231 



summer and came back the next day and allowed itself to be taken 

 by hand. The males since moulting are about the color of Den- 

 droica (Bstiva." 



In the spring of 1839, Mr. Jillson, of Hudson, Mass., sent Dr. 

 Brewer a pair of these birds which he had captured the preceding 

 autumn. They were very tame, and were exceedingly interesting 

 little pets. Their movements in the cage were like those of caged 

 parrots in every respect, except that they were far more easy and 

 rapid. They clung to the sides and upper wires of the cage with 

 their feet, hung down from them, and seemed to enjoy the practice 

 of walking with their head downward. They were in full song, and 

 both the male and female were quite good singers. Their songs 

 were irregular and varied, but sweet and musical. They ate almost 

 every kind of food, but were especially eager for shces of raw apples. 

 An occasional larch cone was also a great treat to them. Although 

 while they lived they were continually bickering over their food, 

 yet when the female was accidently choked by a bit of egg shell 

 her mate was inconsolable, ceased to sing, refused his food, and died 

 of grief in a very few days. 



Genus ACANTHIS Bechstein. 



Acanthis Bechst. Orn. Tasch. Deutsoh. 1803, 125. Type, Fringilla linaria Linn. 



^giothus Cabanis. Mus. Hein. 1851, 161. Type, Fringilla linaria Linn. 



"Sp. Cha3. Bill very short, conical, acutely pointed, the outlines sometimes con- 

 cave; the commissure straight; the base of the upper mandible and the nostrils con- 

 cealed by stiff appressed bristly feathers; middle of the mandible having several ridges 

 parallel with the cuLmen. Inner lateral toe rather the longer, its claw reaching the 

 middle of the middle claw; the hind toe rather longer, its claw longer than the digital 

 portion. Wings very long, reaching the middle of the tail; second quill a little longer 

 than the first and third. Tail deeply forked." (Hist. N. Am. B.\ 



Species and Races. 



Common Chakacteks. Adult, Above streaked with dusky upon a brownish, or 

 brown and whitish, ground; wing-coverts tipped with whitish or pale brown. Beneath 

 whitish, usually streaked on the sides with dusky. An indistinct, lighter superciliary 

 stripe. Crown crimson (except in A. brewsteri.) Male. Breast more or less tinged with 

 rose-pink. Female. Breastnot tinged with pinkish. Toung. Without any pink on breast 

 A« Crown of adult with a patch of crimson. Chin with a dusky spot. 



L A. homemannii. Bill very short, the depth at tlie base nearly equal to or greater 



than its length. Eump wholly white, or with white largely prevailing. Breast in 



adult male delicate peach-blossom pink. Lower tail-coverts with white shafts. 



a. Bill very stout, rather obtuse, the depth through the base about equal to length 



ofoulmen. Wing, 3.25 or more ; tail, 2.70 or more. Bab. Greenland; northern 



Labrador (Ungava) in winter A. homemannii. 



