iS6 CHARACTERS OF VERTEBRATE ANIMALS 



and South-west Asia is known as a visitor in this country. In 

 colour it is golden-yellow, with black on the wings and tail, and 

 the call-notes of the male are flute-like in tone. 



6. Finches make up a very large family, absent only from the 

 Australian region, and characterized by strong conical beaks 

 adapted for feeding upon seeds and grain, while there are only 

 nine primary wing-quills instead of ten. The food is by no 

 means limited to seeds and the like. 



The following small British birds belong here: — Sparrow (^Passer domesticus); 

 Tree-Sparrow (P. montanus); Bullfinch {Pyrrhula Europizd); Chaffinch {Fringilla 

 Calebs) ; Brambling (P. montifringiUind) ; Linnet {F. cannabitid) ; Mealy Redpole 

 {Cannabina linaria); Lesser Redpole (C. rufescens); Twite {C. flavirostris); Green- 

 finch (Ligurinus chloris); Goldfinch (Carduelis elegans); Hawfinch {Coccothraustes 

 vulgaris); Siskin (Chrysomitus spinus); Crossbill {Loxia curvirostrd). 



7. Weaver- Birds, remarkable for the way in which they 

 intertwine fibres to form their nests, resemble finches in appear- 

 ance and in their stout conical beaks, but possess ten instead of 

 nine primary wing-quills as in the latter. The family is more 

 particularly characteristic of Africa south of the Sahara, but is 

 also well represented in South Asia and in Australia. The Java 

 Sparrow or Rice- Bird {Munia oryzivora) is familiar in this 

 country as a cage-bird. 



8. Buntings are finch-like forms inhabiting the colder parts 

 of the Old World. They differ from the true finches in minor 

 features, one of which is that when the beak is shut its edges do 

 not come into contact except at the base and tip. 



There are several British species, of which the most familiar 

 is the Yellow Bunting {Emberiza citrinelld), better known as the 

 Yellow Hammer. 



The remaining British species are: — Cirl Bunting {Emberiza ci'rlus); Corn 

 Bunting {£. miliaria) ; Reed Bunting (£. schaniclus) ; Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax 

 nivalis). 



9. Larks constitute a tolerably large group, limited with but 

 few exceptions to Europe, Asia, and Africa, where they are most 

 abundant in plains and deserts. Their powers of song are known 

 to everyone. The first toe is provided with a very long straight 

 claw. 



The Skylark {Alauda arvensis) and Woodlark {A. arborea) 

 are well known in Britain. The Shore Lark {Otocorys alpestris) 

 is a visitor. 



