Glass 5. Aves. Order 8. Oscine.s. 463 



fringilla); the Greenfinch (F. chloris) ; the Serin Finch (F. serinus) ; 

 the Common Linnet {F. cannabina) ; the Mountain Linnet (F. 

 montium) ; the Goldfinch (F. carduelis) ; the small yellowish-gi-een Siskin 

 (F. spinus); the Lesser Redpole (F. Unaria) ; the House sparrow 

 {F. domestica) occui-s in Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has also been 

 introduced into America and Australia; has increased enormously in North 

 America ; the Tree s p a r r o w (i''. montana) ; the Bullfinch (F. pyrrhula) : 

 all these occur in England, hut the Mountain and Serin PincheB and the Siskin 

 are rare. Among foreign forms may be mentioned the Canaries {F. eanaria) 

 from the Canary Islands. 



(fe) Buntings {Emberiza), beak compressed at the tip, nan-ower and lower 

 than the mandible, the edge arched ; there is usually a hard knob on the palate. 

 The Snow Bunting {F. nivalis), which nests in the north, and in the winter 

 comes to England, has no palatine knob. The Common Bunting (E. 

 tniliwria) ; the Tallow Bunting or Yellow Hammer (J?, citrinella) ; 

 the Black-headed- Bunting (E. schoeniclus) ; the Ortolan Bunting 

 (E. hortulana), all occur in England, but the last is rare. 



(c) Cross bills (Loxia) axe chiefly characterised by the crossing of the 

 tips of the beak and mandible ; pine-tree birds : L. curvirostra and L. pytiopsit- 

 tacus occasionally visit England. Allied is the Pine Grosbeak {Pinicola 

 IPyrrhula] etiucleator), about the size of a Thrush, with hooked tip to the beak ; 

 a northern f onn of rare occurrence in England. 



3. Corviformes. Strong, fairly large, almost straight beak; fairly strong 

 feet. For the most part large, social, and omnivorous. 



(a.) Starlings {Sturnus vulgaris), medium-sized, with long, straight, 

 compressed beak ; the nai-es not covered with feathers. They breed in holes, 

 are insectivorous and indigenous. Allied is the Rose-coloured Pastor 

 {Pastor roseus), in which the top of the beak is feebly curved; occasionally strays 

 into England. 



(6) Raven family (Gorvidie), with very strong, anteriorly compressed, 

 somewhat curved beak ; the nares are covered with bristles. Large. TheRaven 

 (Gorvus corax), the largest of English Oscines, quite black in colour and 

 not very abundant. The black Carrion Crow (C corone), and the partially 

 black Hooded Crow (C cornix) are not separate species, but only 

 geographical varieties; there is a series of transitions between the two, and 

 they are quite fertile together. The Rook (C. frugilegus), quite black, the 

 bristle feathers at the base of the beak wanting in the adult. The Jackdaw 

 (C monedula), slaty black, beak shorter than in the others mentioned. The 

 Magpie (Pica caudata), with long tail, black and white. The Jays (Gamdus 

 glandarius), brightly-coloured, with short beak, the tip of which is hooked. The 

 Nutcracker (Nucifraga caryocatactes), with long, almost straight beak. 

 Rare in England. 



(c) Birds of Paradise (Paradise'idse), distinguished by their gorgeous 

 colouring and the peculiar structure of the feathers, but these points characterise 

 the males only, the females being more modestly arrayed ; large, with strong, 

 compressed beak, and nares covered by feathers; New Guinea and adjacent 

 islands. 



4. Swallows (Longipennes). Wings very long, feet short, beak short; 

 broad at the base ; the angles of the mouth reach far back. Small migratory 

 Birds, excellent fliers; insectivorous. In England occur the Swallows 

 (Hirundo rustica), with brownish red throats, and the House Martins 

 (H. v/rhica), both of which build the well-known nests of mud and saliva ; the 

 brownish-grey Sand Martins (ff. riparia), which dig horizontal nesting 



