CRIMSON-NECKED BULLFINCH. 
147 
is cinereous gray, as well as the cheeks, and the small 
feathers immediately around the bill; the crimson 
feathers are brown at base, being red only at tip ; the 
occiput, and the neck above and on each side, are 
brown, with a reddish cast, the feathers being margined 
with pale ; the back is dusky brownish ; the rump and 
superior tail-coverts are crimson, but less vivid than 
that of the head; the inferior portion of the breast, the 
belly, and vent, are whitish, each feather having a broad 
fuscous line ; the general plumage is lead colour at base. 
The wings are blackish brown, the primaries being 
broadly margined within, towards the base, with 
whitish, and exteriorly edged with grayish ; the coverts 
and secondaries are edged with dull grayish ; the tail 
is blackish brown, hardly emarginated; the lateral 
feathers are edged, on the inner side, with whitish. 
Such is the description of our male specimen ; but 
as it was procured when summer was far advanced, a 
season in which the plumage begins to fade, it is proper 
to observe, that the colouring of this bird is probably 
much more brilliant in its full spring dress, the crimson 
extending much farther down on the back, &c. As the 
season advances, the tips of the feathers, which are the 
only parts of a crimson colour, being gradually worn 
off, the bird as gradually loses its brilliancy; and, in 
the autumnal and winter plumage, exhibits the humble 
appearance of the female. 
The female is altogether destitute of the brilliant 
colour, being dusky brown above, the feathers margined 
on each side with dull whitish; the whole inferior 
surface is whitish, each feather having a brown longi- 
tudinal line in the middle, obsolete on the vent, which 
is almost pure white. 
A change similar to that above mentioned, takes 
place in the purple finch, whose habits also much 
resemble those of the crimson-necked bullfinch ; but 
the form of its bill is certainly that of a finch, and will 
always distinguish it from the species we are describing, 
the bill of which is unequi vocally of the bullfinch form. 
The different tints of red adorning these birds, will 
