PINE GROSBEAK. 
155 
The Pine Grosbeak measures nine inches in length, and four- 
teen 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 are 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 co- 
lour, partially skirted with red and light ash. The greater wing- 
coverts and next superior row are broadly tipt with white, and 
slightly tinged with reddish; wings and tail black, edged with 
light brown; tail considerably forked ; lower part of the belly 
ash colour; vent feathers skirted with white, and streaked with 
black; legs glossy black; bill a brownish horn colour, 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 colour. The whole plumage, near the roots, as in most 
other birds, is of a deep bluish ash colour. The female was half 
an inch shorter, and answered nearly to the above description; 
only, those parts that in the male were crimson, were in her of 
a dirty yellowish colour. The female, according to Foster, re- 
ferred to above, has those parts which in the male are red, more 
of an orange tint; and he censures Edwards for having represent- 
ed the female of too bright a red. It is possible, that my speci- 
men of the female might have been a bird of the first season, not 
come to its full colours. Those figured by Mr. Edwards* were 
both brought from Hudson’s Bay, and appear to be the same with 
the one now before us, though his colouring of the female difiers 
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 Dronthiem; is common in all the pine forests of 
Asia, in Siberia, and the north of Russia, is taken in autumn 
Edw. vol. ni, p. 124. 
