CHAPTER III. 
The Perching-Birds,— continued. 
The Finches. 
Family FBINGILLIDM 
The finches comprise a large number of genera of small hard-billed and seed-eating 
birds, distributed over the northern and temperate regions of both the Eastern 
and Western Hemispheres, although unknown in Australia. They are characterised 
by the smooth edges of the mandibles; the doubly laminated hinder-surface of the 
metatarsus ; the presence of nine primary quills of which the first and second 
are approximately equal in length; while the secondary quills reach about 
three-quarters the length of the wing. The tail has twelve feathers ; the beak is 
more or less conical in shape, with the nostrils pierced close to the line of the fore¬ 
head, and near the culmen; and the bristles at the rictus of the gape are few and 
short. The lower mandible has no backward prolongation behind the quadrate 
bone. In the nestling the plumage is variable ; and the sexes are generally unlike. 
By Mr. Oates the finches are divided, from the characters of the skull and beak, 
into three subfamilies, of which the first is 
The Grosbeak Group. 
Subfamily COCCOTHRA USTINsE. 
A general stoutness of beak is accompanied in this group by marked develop¬ 
ment in the depth of the lower mandible; many of the species, such as the evening 
grosbeak of North America, being noticeable for the beauty of their coloration. 
The members of the grosbeak group are inhabitants of the northern regions of 
both the Old and New Worlds, and extend as far south as India. 
These birds have the bill moderately stout and rather acute; 
the distance between the nostrils being equal to the depth of the 
mandible. Green and yellow predominate in the plumage. The greenfinches 
inhabit the whole of Europe, as well as North-West Africa, Palestine, and 
Turkestan; while they are also represented in Eastern Siberia, Japan, and China. 
The common greenfinch {Ligurinus chloris) is fond of gardens and small planta¬ 
tions, especially during the summer, when its monotonous song is heard at intervals 
throughout the day. It has, however, some soft and plaintive notes which, once 
heard, will always be remembered with pleasure. Nor is this bird devoid of 
Greenfinches. 
