PINE GROSBEAK. 183 



proportionally stout, the third much longer than the two lateral, which are 

 about equal; their scutella large, their lower surface with large pads covered 

 with prominent papillae. Claws rather long, arched, much compressed, 

 laterally grooved, and acute. 



Plumage soft, full, rather blended, the feathers oblong. At the base of 

 the upper mandible are strong bristly feathers directed forwards. The wings 

 of moderate length; the primaries rounded, the second and third longest, 

 and with the fourth and fifth having their outer webs slightly cut out. Tail 

 rather long, emarginate, of twelve strong, broad, obliquely rounded feathers. 



Bill reddish-brown. Iris hazel. Feet blackish-brown, claws black. The 

 general colour of the plumage is bright carmine, tinged with vermilion; the 

 feathers of the fore part of the back and the scapulars greyish-brown in the 

 centre; the bristly feathers at the base of the bill blackish-brown; the middle 

 of the breast, abdomen, and lower tail-coverts, light grey, the latter with a 

 central dusky streak. Wings blackish-brown; the primaries and their 

 coverts narrowly edged with reddish-white, the secondaries more broadly 

 with white; the secondary coverts and first row of small coverts tipped with 

 reddish-white, the smaller coverts edged with red. 



Length to end of tail 8| inches, to end of wings 65, to end of claws Gf; 

 extent of wings 14; wing from flexure 4|-; tail 4; bill along the ridge f f, 

 along the edge of lower mandible ^ 5 tarsus -ff ; first toe y§, its claw f^; 

 middle toe y^-, its claw -f^. 



Female. 



The female is scarcely inferior to the male in size. The bill is dusky, the 

 feet as in the male. The upper part of the head and hind neck are yellow- 

 ish-brown, each feather with a central dusky streak; the rump brownish- 

 yellow; the rest of the upper parts light brownish-grey. Wings and tail as 

 in the male, the white edgings and the tips tinged with grey; the cheeks and 

 throat greyish-white or yellowish; the fore part and sides of the neck, the 

 breast, sides, and abdomen ash-grey, as are the lower tail-coverts. 



Length to end of tail 8i inches, to end of wings 6|, to end of claws 6f; 

 extent of wings 13^; wing from flexure 4l; tail 3 T f; tarsus £|; middle toe 

 and claw ly^. 



Young fully fledged. 



The young, when in full plumage, resemble the female, but are more 

 tinged with brown. 



An adult male from Boston examined. The roof of the mouth is mode- 

 rately concave, its anterior horny part with five prominent ridges; the lower 

 mandible deeply concave. Tongue 4^ twelfths long, firm, deflected at the 

 middle, deeper than broad, papillate at the base, with a median groove; for 

 the distal half of its length, it is cased with a firm horny substance, and is 



