142 
THE FOX-COLOURED FINCH. 
powers of the Pinch, however, appeared almost too much for the master 
songster of our woods ; it desisted for a moment, out of breath, and we could 
observe its pantings ; but it did not fail to resume its hitherto unknown 
character of tyrant. A servant was despatched to the rescue, and peace 
was restored; but the Pinch was almost reduced to its last gasp, and shortly 
after expired. This very Mocking-bird we strongly suspected of being 
the individual that had killed a Blue Jay of exceedingly meek disposition, 
a few weeks before. It was ultimately removed into a lonely cage, where 
it is yet passing its days, perhaps in unavailing penitence. 
The Fox-coloured Finch is found abundantly on the Columbia river. It 
breeds in the woody districts of the Fur Countries, up to the 68th parallel. 
About Boston it is abundant during summer, generally skulking in the 
bushes and avoiding observation. It passes through Massachusetts on its 
way south in the first week in November, and returns about the 10th of 
April. It is very easily approached, and its note is extremely beautiful. 
In this species the palate is moderately ascending, deeply concave, with 
two prominent lines, at the meeting of which anteriorly is a small soft 
projection. The upper mandible is moderately concave, with a prominent 
middle line and two lateral ridges. The width of the mouth is twelfths. 
The tongue is 4 twelfths long, compressed, channelled above, horny, rather 
obtuse, somewhat spoon-shaped at the point, as in the Pine Finch. (Eso- 
phagus 24 inches long, its greatest width 44 twelfths, being slightly dilated 
towards the lower part of the neck. The stomach is roundish, 7 twelfths 
long, 6 twelfths broad; its lateral muscles rather strong, the epithelium 
tough, longitudinally rugous. Intestine 94 inches long, from 3 twelfths to 
2 twelfths in width ; coeca 3J twelfths long, § twelfth in width, 1 inch dis- 
tant from the extremity. Trachea 1 inch 8 twelfths long, 1 twelfth in 
breadth ; the rings 72, and 2 dimidiate, firm ; bronchial rings about 15; 
the muscles as usual. 
Male, 74, 104. Female, 7&. 
Dispersed in winter throughout the Southern and Western Districts. 
Breeds from Nova Scotia to Labrador and the Fur Countries. Bather 
common. 
Fox-coloured Sparrow, Fringilla rufa, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. iii. p. 53. 
Fringilla iliaca, Bonap. Syn., p. 112. 
Fringilla (Zonotriciiia) iliaca, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor. Ainer., vol. ii. p. 257. 
Ferruginous Finch, Fringilla iliaca , Nutt. Man., vol. i. p. 514. 
Fox-coloured Sparrow, Fringilla iliaca , Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. ii. p. 58 ; vol. v 
p. 512. 
Adult Male in summer. 
Bill short, robust, conical, acute; upper mandible broader than the lower 
