214 GROSBEAK. 



wing coverts the same, tipped with white, forming two bars on the 

 wing ; quills black, the borders of the secondaries white, and of the 

 prime ones grey; belly and vent ash-coloured ; tail somewhat forked, 

 the colour of the quills ; legs brown. 



The female is mostly greenish brown, with here and there a red- 

 dish or yellowish tinge, chiefly on the top of the head. 



The Pine Grosbeak is very rarely found in this kingdom, except 

 in the more northern parts ; being only met with in Scotland, and 

 especially the Highlands, where it breeds, inhabiting the pine forests, 

 and feeding on the seeds, like the Crossbill, and said to have a clear, 

 mellow, and sweet note. Mr. Pennant observed them near Inver- 

 cauld, in the County of Aberdeen, in August. The young of the 

 first year are of a dull orange-colour, and do not gain the scarlet till 

 the second. It is supposed, that this is the species, of which great 

 numbers once appeared in Pembrokeshire.* It is found in all the 

 pine forests of Siberia, Lapland, and the northern parts of Russia ; 

 is common about St. Petersburgh, in autumn, and taken in great 

 plenty for the use of the table, but retires still further northward, in 

 spring. t In the colder parts of America is a well known bird, 

 appearing at Hudson's Bay in April or May, departing in September; 

 makes the nest there, in trees, at a small distance from the ground, 

 in May, with sticks, lining it with feathers; the eggs, four in 

 number, white; the young hatched the middle of June ; observed 

 to feed sometimes on the buds of the willow. The southern Settle- 

 ments are inhabited by them throughout the year, but the northern 

 only in the summer ; has been met with also in Norton Sound, and 

 at Aoonalaschka.J 



* " A flock of birds, about two hundred, came about September, 1694, to a hemp yard, 

 " at Llan Ddewi Yelfrey, in Pembrokeshire, and in one afternoon destroyed all the hemp 

 " seed. The cocks all over as red as scarlet, and the hens greenish above, red underneath ; 

 " about as big, or little less than Blackbirds ; the bills more stubbed, and bigger than that 

 " of a Bulfinch: I suspect these to be Virginia Nightingales, otherwise I know not what to 

 " make of them." Phil. Trans, xxvii. p. 464. 466. — Letters from Mr. E. Lhwyd. 



t Mr. Pennant. + Ellis. Narr. V. ii. p. 15. 



