ZOOLOGY. 



89 



wear the tip, triangular at the base, and somewhat 

 inclining downwards at the point ; feet as in the last. 



The whole of this genus are confined to Asia, Africa, and 

 America, many of them are splendidly coloured, and form 

 rery elegant pendent nests. They mostly resort to woods 

 and their vicinities ; and feed on seeds, fruit, and insects. 



9, Fi'ingilla. Finch. Bill strait, conical, sharp-pointed; 



tongue truncated ; toes and feet as the last. 



The Finches are a numerous family, extending over most 

 parts of the known world, from Lapland and the snowy 

 mountains of Siberia, to the burning climes of Terra del 

 Feugo, and Borneo, — they are mostly insectivorous, some 

 are destructive to pulpy fruits, as Currants, Raspberries, 

 Strawberries and the like, and others feed on seeds and 

 grain ; they generally frequent low bushes, hedges, and the 

 European kinds resort to gardens and orchards. We have 

 nine species common to Great Britain, some of which are 

 kept in confinement, parHy from their elegance of plumage, 

 and also on account of their notes. See British Ornilholo- 

 gi/, vols. 1, 2, 3. 



10. Phytotoma. Plant-Cutter. Bill conical, strait scrra^ 



ted on the edges ; nostt^ils ovate ; tongue short, obtuse ; 

 toes three forward and one backward. Of the two 

 known species of the genus ; one, has (in the ninth 

 volume of Shaw's Zoology,) been separated, to form a 

 distinct genus, under the name of Uyreus ; it differs 

 from the Phytotoma^ in having but two toes forward, 



