HAWFINCH. 131 



ceeding in bulk many whose measured dimensions are the same. 

 In entire length, it is about seven inches ; the wing measures 

 four inches from the carpus to the tip of the quill-feathers. The 

 first three quill-feathers are nearly equal in length, the fourth 

 two lines shorter ; the succeeding four or five feathers, which 

 constitute a great peculiarity in this bird, are of an unusual 

 form, resembling when separated from the wing, a bill-hook 

 or battle-axe, and the secondary quills lying next to them, 

 are square at the ends : these feathers are all differently 

 coloured from the rest of the wing. The tail, which is 

 slightly forked, exceeds the closed wing about an inch. 

 The beak is remarkably thick and strong ; it measures three- 

 fourths of an inch from the base to the tip, half an inch in 

 depth at the base, and rather more in width from side to side, 

 at its junction with the feathered part of the face ; the nostrils 

 are not visible, being hidden by the reflected short hairs that 

 fringe the base of the beak. 



The plumage of the adult male of this species is as follows : 

 — Beak blue in summer, lightest at the base, and dark horn 

 colour at the tip : in the winter it is pearl-colour, with the 

 tip black. The beak is entirely surrounded with black, 

 which occupies the chin and throat, and extends in a nar- 

 row line across the forehead ; the lore is also black, as well 

 as the eyelids, and a narrow line surrounding them. The 

 eye is dull pink. The forehead and cheeks are yellowish- 

 buff, the top of the head bright bay ; the nape of the neck 

 is bluish-grey ; the back and scapulars are umber-brown ; 

 the tertial-feathers of the Aving, and some of the larger 

 coverts of the same, partake also of the brown colour of 

 the back. The lower part of the back, and upper tail- 

 coverts, are yellowish-brown ; these are very long, and 

 reach to the end of the tail. The longer quill-feathers of 

 the wing are dusky ; the rest are purplish at the tips, with 

 reflections of steel-blue ; white spots occupy part of the 



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