PINE GROSBEAK. 
57 
The Pine Grosbeak measures nine inches in length, and fourteen 
inches in extent ; the head, neck, breast and rump is of a rich crimson, 
palest on the breast ; the feathers on the middle of the back arc centered 
with arrow-shaped spots of black, and skirted with crimson, which gives 
the plumage a considerable flush of red there; those on the shoulders 
are of a deep slate color, partially skirted with red and light ash. 'flic 
greater wing-coverts and next superior row are broadly tipped with 
white, and slightly tinged with reddish ; wings and tail black, edged 
with light brown ; tail considerably forked ; lower part of the belly ash 
color ; vent feathers skirted with white, and streaked with black ; legs 
glossy black ; bill a brownish horn color, very thick, short and hooked 
at the point ; the upper mandible overhanging the lower considerably, 
approaching in its form to that of the Parrot ; base of the bill covered 
with recumbent hairs of a dark brown color. The whole plumage, near 
the roots, as in most other birds, is of a deep bluish ash color. The 
female was half an inch shorter, and answered nearly to the above 
description ; only, those parts that in the male were crimson, Avere in 
her of a dirty yellowish color. The female, according to Foster, 
referred to above, has those parts which in the male are red, more of an 
orange tint ; and he censures Edwards for having represented the 
female of too bright a red. It is possible, that my specimen of the 
female might have been a bird of the first season, not come to its full 
colors. Those figured by Mr. Edwards * were both brought from Hud- 
son's Bay, and appear to be the same with the one now before us, though 
his coloring of the female differs materially from his description. 
If this, as Mr. Pennant asserts, be the same species with that of the 
eastern continent, it would seem to inhabit almost the whole extent of 
the arctic regions. It is found in the north of Scotland, where Pennant 
suspects it breeds. It inhabits Europe as far north as Dronthicm ; is 
common in all the pine forests of Asia, in Siberia, and the north of 
Russia, is taken in autumn about Petersburgh, and brought to market 
in great numbers. It returns to Lapland in spring ; is found in New- 
foundland ; and on the western coast of North America. f 
Were I to reason from anology, I would say, that from the great 
resemblance of this bird to the Purple-finch (Fringilla purpurea), it 
does not attain its full plumage until the second summer ; and is subject 
to considerable change of color in moulting, which may have occasioned 
all the differences we find concerning it in different authors. But this 
is actually ascertained to be the case ; for Mr. Edwards saw two of these 
birds alive in London, in cages ; the person in whose custody they were, 
said they came from Norway ; that they had moulted their feathers, 
* Edw. Vol. III., p. 124. 
f Pennant. 
