THE GREENFINCH. 39 
stated intervals, and compelled them to take exercise; in which case, perhaps their 
lives might have been prolonged: but Sand-Martins are not suitable birds for the 
aviculturist. 
FAMILY FRINGILLIDA. 
HIS family consists of a number of hard-billed, largely seed-eating, birds. 
Howard Saunders only distinguishes these as Finches (Fringilling) and 
Buntings (Lmberizine); but the Catalogue of Birds, of the British Museum, 
regards the Grosbeaks as constituting a third Subfamily (Coccothraustine.) Seebohm 
agreed with Howard Saunders in uniting the latter Subfamily to the typical 
Finches; but, in my opinion, there is more difficulty in distinguishing between 
some of the foreign Buntings, and Grosbeaks, than between the latter and the true 
Finches. I would, in any case, rather err on the side of too much regard for 
structural differences, than on the opposite side. 
The /ringillide have only nine quill-feathers to the wing, the first primary 
being wholly absent; the bill is hard and conical, and is (to my mind) better 
described by the term “beak”; the Finches feed their young from the crop, 
regurgitating the food when partially digested: naturally during the breeding 
season, I believe all are more or less insectivorous, although seed forms their staple 
food: in confinement, however, many of the Finches will live for many years upon 
seed alone. 
The Coccothraustine, or Grosbeaks, of which the Hawfinches are typical, are 
characterized by a very heavy and powerful beak, with hardly any angle to the 
chin; the nasal bones produced backwards beyond the front margin of the eye- 
socket. (cf. R. B. Sharpe, Cat. Birds, Vol. XII). 
The Fringilline, or true Finches, the type of which is our English Chaffinch, 
usually have a somewhat less powerful beak, with the angle of the chin slightly 
more defined, but still very feebly shown; the mandibles almost terminating at 
the same point; the nasal bones not produced backwards beyond the front margin 
of the eye-socket. 
