British Fringillinae. 39 



The cabinet-naturalist, not having expanded wings to measure 

 from, nor birds in the flesh, but only more or less distorted skins 

 and closed wings, cannot possibly take his measurements with 

 absolute accuracy ; therefore when he gives the total length of wings 

 in male and female of a species (even assuming that he has measured 

 more than one example, which is not always certain), one cannot 

 consider his dictum as final. 



It is certain that if the wing of a male Passerine bird is not 

 longer than its female, it must be so formed as to give him greater 

 power in flight, otherwise he could not overtake his mate. For 

 this reason it is especially important, even from a cabinet-naturalist's 

 standpoint, that he should have expanded wings of all species before 

 him, so that he may discover the nature of the differences which 

 must exist. 



The Linnet (Acanthis cannabina). 



The female shows none of the crimson colouring which characterises 

 the breeding-plumage of the male ; it is also browner above, with 

 black centres to the feathers ; is much more prominently streaked 

 below ; has a broader skull and base to beak ; the wings and tail 

 show much narrower white outer margins to the feathers ; the wings 

 are also shorter, the arm to the bend of the wing shorter and less 

 inarched ; the long primary feathers more regularly graded, the 

 primary coverts more exposed, only the second and third of the long 

 primaries are emarginate in front (the first primary is very short, 

 and only visible when carefully looked for) ; the outer tail-feathers 

 are also much longer in proportion to the others than in the male. 



The Twite (Acanthis Jlavirostris). 



The female shows no rose-red on the rump as in the breeding- 

 plumage of the male ; the skull and beak, and probably the outline 

 of the wings, differ as in the Linnet. 



The Lesser Redpoll [Acanthis rufescens). 



The female is smaller than the male ; the rump and breast without 

 the rose-red of the male in the breeding-plumage ; the upper parts 

 slightly darker, and the under parts more prominently streaked ; the 

 skull and base of beak broader. 



The Mealy Redpoll (Acanthis linaria). 



The female is smaller than the male ; shows no rose-colour on the 

 rump, throat, or breast ; the upper parts are darker, the under parts 

 more streaked ; the skull and base of beak broader. 



The Goldfinch (Carduelis elegans). 



The female is smaller than the male, and altogether duller in 

 colouring. The male, however, varies more in size than the female, 

 but invariably has longer wings, owing to the better development of 



