WHITE-WINGED CROSSBILL. 193 



Plumage blended. Wings of ordinary length, pointed, the outer three 

 primaries longest (in one specimen the first longest, in three the second); 

 secondaries slightly emarginate. Tail of moderate length, deeply emarginate, 

 the feathers curved outwards at the point. 



Bill dusky, tinged with greyish-blue, especially on the edges. Iris hazel. 

 Feet dark reddish-brown. The general colour of the plumage is rich 

 carmine, inclining to crimson; the feathers on the fore part and middle of 

 the back dusky, excepting the tips; the scapulars, wings, upper tail-coverts, 

 and tail black; two broad bands of white on the wing, the anterior formed 

 by the first row of small coverts and several of those adjoining, the other by 

 the secondary coverts, of which the basal half only is black; the inner 

 secondaries are tipped with white, as are the tail-coverts, and the quills and 

 tail-feathers are very slightly margined with whitish. Bristly feathers at 

 the base of the bill yellowish-white; sides brownish, and streaked with 

 dusky, axillar feathers whitish; lower tail-coverts brownish-black, broadly 

 margined with reddish-white. 



Length to end of tail 6| inches, to end of wings 5%, to end of claws 5; 

 extent of wings lOf; bill along the ridge -ff, along the edge of lower man- 

 dible yV; wing from flexure 3^; tail 2^; tarsus \\ ; hind toe -ff , its claw 

 r 5 2-; middle toe y%, its claw T 5 2. 



Female. 



The female has the upper parts dusky, the feathers margined with greyish- 

 yellow, the rump wax-yellow; the lower parts are yellowish-grey, streaked 

 with dusky, the fore part of the breast wax-yellow; the wings and tail are 

 as in the male, but paler, and with the white bands on the former of less 

 breadth. Bill and feet darker than those of the male. 



Length to end of tail §\ inches, to end of wings 5, to end of claws 5i; 

 extent of wings 10. 



Young. 



The young resemble the female, but the lower parts are dull yellowish- 

 grey, spotted and streaked with dark brown. 



After the first moult the male still resembles the female, but is more 

 yellow. At the next moult it acquires the red colour, which becomes richer 

 and purer the older the bird. 



In this species there are three longitudinal ridges on the roof of the mouth, 

 and the palate is bent in the same manner as in Buntings. The tongue is of 

 the same general form as that of the Pine Grosbeak, 3^ twelfths long, com- 

 pressed and slender at the base, with the basihyoid bone of a similar form, 

 concave above, dilated and rounded at the end, so as to resemble a scoop 

 or spoon. The oesophagus, h c d e, is 2 inches and 8 twelfths long, when 



