1G0 FR1NGILL1D.E. 



ter. The wing measures from the carpus to the tip three 

 inches, and the tail extends one inch and two lines beyond 

 the wings when closed ; the tarsus, which measures seven 

 lines, is shorter than the middle toe. The tail is slightly 

 forked, the feathers rounded at their tips ; the wing has the 

 first quill-feather two lines shorter than the second, which is 

 again slightly exceeded by the third and fourth. The short 

 thick beak measures three lines and a half from the feathered 

 part of the forehead to the tip ; it is four lines in depth, and 

 about the same in width. 



The feathering of this bird is remarkably soft and silky, 

 and the unity of colour in its several parts also contributes 

 to this effect. The top of the head is covered by a hood of 

 the most beautiful velvet black ; the chin, region of the eyes, 

 and eyelids are also black ; the iris of the eyes hazel. The 

 tail and its upper coverts are intense and glossy black, with 

 purple reflections, the lower part of the back and under tail- 

 coverts pure white. The wings have the quill-feathers dusky, 

 the secondaries and tertials are, like the tail, black and shin- 

 ing ; the greater coverts are black, broadly tipped with white, 

 forming a distinct bar across the wing. The nape of the 

 neck, back, and scapulars are bluish-grey ; the sides of the 

 face, breast, and flanks are beautiful vermilion, or Chinese- 

 red ; the rest of the under parts white. The beak is black ; 

 the legs purplish-brown. 



The female Bulfinch resembles the male in most parts of 

 her plumage, but her breast is pale pinkish-grey where that 

 of the male is red ; the nape of her neck is grey, her back 

 and scapulars are greyish, deeply tinged with brownish-olive. 



Young birds much resemble the female, but their head, 

 wings, and tail, are dull and dusky, instead of black. 



The egg figured 120 in the plate is that of the Bulfinch. 



