102 



white; bill black; iris and legs dark brown. Total length about 6"25 inches, culmen 035, wing 3 - 2, 

 tail 2-6, tarsus 0-7. 



Adult Female (Hampstead) . Differs from the male in having the head, wings, and tail a trifle less richly 

 glossed, the blue-grey on the upper parts being replaced by ashy brown ; and the underparts, instead of 

 being red, are warm brown with a faint tinge of vinous ; the bill, especially at the base of the under 

 mandible, is also lighter in colour ; and the outer web of the innermost secondary is reddish grey. 



Young (Hampstead) . Resembles the female, but lacks the black on the head, the upper parts of the body 

 are browner, the underparts have a warm ochreous tinge, and the larger wing-coverts are tipped with 

 warm brownish ochreous. 



It is somewhat difficult to define the exact range of this bird, owing to the fact that it has been 

 so frequently confused with its larger ally, the Northern Bullfinch ; but, so far as I can ascertain, 

 it appears to be a resident in Central and Western Europe, ranging as far north as the British 

 Isles, whereas the Northern Bullfinch inhabits Northern and Eastern Europe, migrating south- 

 ward in the winter season. 



In Great Britain the present species is very generally distributed in the wooded districts, 

 and is resident, occurring, so far as I can ascertain, in every county of England ; and Mr. Robert 

 Gray writes (B. of W. of Scotl. p. 151) that on the western mainland of Scotland it " is common 

 from Inverness-shire to the south of Wigtownshire. Mr. Sinclair has seen numbers at Loch 

 Sunai't, old and young frequenting birch trees and tangled hedges. In Ayrshire, Dumbarton- 

 shire, and Renfrewshire it breeds in considerable numbers ; and Mr. Alston informs me that it 

 appears to be on the increase in Lanarkshire as the county becomes better wooded and enclosed." 

 Mr. Saxby records but one instance of its occurrence in Shetland, viz. that of a female, obtained 

 at Halligarth in October 1863. In Ireland, according to Thompson, it probably occurs in every 

 county, being very generally distributed ; but it is somewhat scarce. It does not appear to occur 

 in Scandinavia, being there, as well as in Finland and in Northern Bussia, replaced by its larger 

 ally. Mr. Sabanaeff certainly informs me that the common Bullfinch breeds near Moscow ; but 

 he seems to be unaware that there are two species, and examples from Moscow are all referable 

 to the Northern Bullfinch, which is, I believe, the species which has been met with in Poland ; 

 but I have not the materials to enable me to decide this question, nor to state with any degree 

 of certainty how far east the present species ranges. It certainly seems to be the only one 

 which passes the summer in Germany, where it is a partial migrant, leaving its nesting-haunts in 

 the winter to wander about, but it cannot be looked on as being a true or regular migrant. 

 Borggreve writes (Vogelf. Nordd. p. 74) that "it appears to breed only in the mountains of 

 North Germany and in the plains of the western and central portions, but during the winter it is 

 met with everywhere. According to Brahts it breeds at Neuwied ; according to Schafer, on the 

 Mosel ; and I found it breeding in Miinsterland ; Von Negelein found it nesting in Oldenburg, 

 E. von Homeyer in Pomerania, Baldamus in Anhalt, and Gloger in the mountains of Silesia. It 

 occurs in winter only in the plains of Silesia, at Coslin (fide Hintz), and at Neustadt-Eberswalde." 

 When collecting in the countries bordering the Bhine, I found the present species breeding 

 commonly, especially in the districts near Altenkirchen, where it is one of the commonest of the 



