PURPLE FINCH. 
281 
Constantly in the hahit of erecting the feathers of the 
Ctown ; they appear to be of a tyrannical and domi- 
Oeerinn- disposition, for they nearly killed an indigo 
'*ird, and two or three others, that were occasionally 
placed with them, driving them into a corner of the 
Cage, standing on them, and teai-ing out tlieir feathers, 
strikin'' them on the head, niuucliing their wings, &c. 
^11 1 was obliged to interfere; and, even if called to, 
tile aggressor' would only turn up a malicious eye to 
tte for a moment, and renew his outrage as before. 
They are a hardy vigorous bird. In the month of 
October, about tile time of their first arrival, 1 shot a 
'bale, rich in plumage, and plump in (b‘sh, but which 
''■anted one leg, that had been taken oft' a little above 
ll>n knee ; the wound had healed so completely, and 
"'as covered W'ith so thick a skin, that it seemed as 
thou<rh it had been so for years. Whether this muti- 
lation was occasioned hy a shot, or in ]iarty quarrels of 
‘ts own, 1 could not determine ; hut our invalid seemed 
Ic have used his stump either in hopping or resting, for 
’t had all the appearance of having hecii hroiiglit m 
Icequeiit contact with otlicr bodies harder than itself. 
This bird is a striking e.xample of the truth ot what 
r liave frequently repeated in this work, that in many 
btstanccs the same bird has been more than once de- 
scribed by the same person as a different species ; for 
is a fact which time ivill establish, that the crirason- 
I'eaded fincli of I’ennant and Latham, the jiiirple finch 
cl the same and other naturalists, the hemp bird of 
^artrain and the fringilla rosea of Pallas, are one 
bed the Lime, viz. the |mrple finch, the subject of the 
Present article. 
The purple finch is six inches in length, and nine iii 
b'^tent ■ head, neck, hack, breast, rump, and tail-coverts, 
bark crimson, dce)(est on the head and chin, and lightest 
b'l the lower part of the breast; the back is streaked 
" 'th dusky ; the wings and tail are also dusky black, 
C'^ged with reddish ; the latter a good deal forked ; round 
!.'‘e base of the hill, the recuinhent feathers are of a 
'ght clay or cream colour; belly and vent, white; 
