138 FRINGILLID.E. 



The entire length of the Greenfinch, or Green Linnet, is 

 about six inches and a half; the wing measures from the 

 carpal joint to the tip three and a half inches, and has the 

 first three feathers nearly equal in length. 



In the adult male the head and back are yellowish-green, 

 inclining to ash colour upon the coverts of the ears ; the lore 

 and a narrow band across the forehead are dusky ; the lower 

 part of the back and breast are yellow, the flanks tinged with 

 greenish-grey. The greater quills are yellow on the upper 

 half of their outer webs ; the greater coverts and tertials 

 greenish-grey. The middle feathers of the tail are dusky 

 grey, the rest have the basal half yellow, the tips greyish- 

 black ; the rest of the under parts not described are lemon- 

 yellow. The iris is hazel ; the beak pearl flesh colour ; the 

 legs and toes pale flesh, tinged with dusky about the claws. 



The female is less bright in plumage, having none of the 

 pure yellow that adorns the male. The young nestlings are 

 greenish-grey on their upper parts, and have dark shaft streaks 

 about the throat and breast, upon a greyish-white ground. 



The egg of the Greenfinch is figured 115 in the Plate. 



