256 
FREGILLINiE. 
pure tint. The greater quills are bluish black, 
the outer webs pale grayish white. The secon- 
daries are black, the basal half of the outer webs 
pure white, forming a conspicuous mark on each 
wing. The tertials are also black, having the 
base of the last bright chestnut-brown. The 
feathers composing the bastard wing and greater 
coverts, beautifully barred with black and bril- 
liant blue, forming a lovely ornament, which is 
much prized by the angler. Tail black at the 
base, with the appearance of bars from the struc- 
ture of the feathers, and sometimes there exhibit- 
ing a trace of blue. The legs and feet are pale 
reddish, or flesh red. The general length is from 
thirteen to fourteen inches. 
Another sub-family shewing the Tenuirostral 
form, presents us with a single British example, 
and indeed the sub-family Fregillinae contains so 
few species assigned to it on sufficient grounds, 
that farther than adopting it as apparently that 
which would fill this place, we know little more. 
Our native example, familiarly known as the 
Chough, or Cornish Chough, and rendered a 
classical bird from the allusion made to it by 
Shakespeare in King Lear, may be considered as 
typical of one genus, the bird of alpine Europe 
shewing another form. The first may be thus 
characterized. 
Fkegilus, Cuvier . — Generic characters . — Bill 
strong at the base, culmen rounded, gradually 
