174 THE PURPLE FINCH. 



middle toe, covered anteriorly with a longitudinal plate above and a few 

 transverse scutella below, posteriorly with an acutely angular longitudinal 

 plate; toes scutellate above, free, the lateral ones nearly equal; claws slender, 

 arched, compressed, acute, that of the hind toe not much larger. 



Plumage compact above, blended beneath, wings of moderate length, third 

 and fourth primaries longest, second and first very little shorter. Tail 

 forked. The lateral feathers curved outwards toward the tip. 



Bill deep brown above, paler and tinged with blue beneath. Iris blackish- 

 brown. Feet and claws brown. Head, neck, breast, back, and upper tail- 

 coverts of a rich deep lake, approaching to crimson on the head and neck, 

 and fading into rose-colour on the belly. Fore part of the back streaked 

 with brown. Quills and larger coverts deep brown, margined externally 

 and tipped with red. Tail feathers deep brown, similarly margined. A 

 narrow band of cream-colour across the forehead, margining the base of the 

 upper mandible. 



Length 6 inches, extent of wings 9, beak along the ridge T 5 2, along the 

 gap T 7 2, tarsus |-. 



Female. 



The young bird so closely resembles the adult female, that the same 

 description will answer for both. The general colour of the upper parts is 

 brownish-olive, streaked with dark brown. There is a broadish white line 

 over the eye,and another from the commissure of the gap backwards. The 

 under parts are greyish-white, the sides streaked with brown. The quills 

 and tail-feathers are dark brown, margined with olive. 



The Red Larch. 



Larix Americana, Pursch, Fl. Amer., vol. ii. p. 645. Mich., Arbr. Forest, de 1'Amer. 

 Sept., vol. iii. p. 137, pi. 4.— Moncecia polyandria, Linn. — Conifers, Juss. 



This species of larch, which is distinguished by its short, deciduous, fasci- 

 culate leaves, and short ovate cones, occurs in the more northern parts of the 

 United States, and in the mountainous regions of the middle states. It 

 attains a height of sixty feet, and a diameter sometimes of two feet. The 

 wood is highly esteemed on account of its excellent qualities. 



