io 6 
BIRDS. 
[Clafs II. 
loughby tells us, they are common in Germany and 
Italy ; that in the fummef they live in woods, and 
breed in hollow trees, laying five or fix eggs ; 
but in the winter they come down into the plains. 
The hawfinch weighs near two ounces : its 
length is feven inches ; the breadth thirteen : the 
bill and legs are of a flefh color. The great par¬ 
ticularity of this bird, and what diftinguifhes it 
from all others, is the form of the ends of the 
middle quit feathers ; which Mr. Edward ’ s juftly 
compares to the figure of fome of the antient 
battle-axes: thefe feathers are gloffed over with 
a rich blue; but are lefs confpicuous in the female: 
the head in that fex is of dull olive tinged with 
brown 5 it 3.I10 w&nts the bl&ck. fpot under the 
chin. 
SPECIES II. The Crofsbill. Plate U. Fig. 2. The male. 
Shell-apple, or crofs-bill. Wit. 
orn. 248. 
Rail fyn. av. 86. 
Charlton ex. 77. 
T here are two varieties of this bird : 
Mr. Edwards has very accurately figu¬ 
red the lefter kind, which we have ieen 
frequently: the other is very rare. We received 
a male and female out of Shropfhire , which were 
fuperior in fize to the former, the bill remarkably 
thick and fhort, more encurvated than that of the 
common kind, and the ends more blunt, Thefe 
birds, like the former, are inconftant vifitants or 
this ifland : in Germany and Switzerland % they 
inhabite the pine forefts, and breed in thofe trees 
fo early as the months of January and February. 
They feed on the feeds of the cones of pines and 
* Ge/ner 59. Kramer Eknch. 365. 
Edzv. av. 303. 
Loxia, Gefner av. 591. 
Brijfon av. III. 329. Tab. 17. Fig . 3. 
Loxia curviroftra, Lin. fyft . 171. 
firs ; and are very dexterous in fealing them, for 
which purpofe the crofs ftrudrure of the lower 
mandible of their bill is admirably adapted : they 
feed alfo on hemp feed, and the pips or kernels 
of apples, and are faid to divide an apple with 
one ftroke of the bill to get at the contents. It 
is an undoubted fa St that thefe birds change their 
colors ; or rather the fhades of their colors: that 
is, the males which are red, vary at certain feafons 
to deep red, to orange, or to a fort of a yellow : 
the females which are green, alter to different 
varieties of the fame color. 
SPECIES III. The Bulfinch. Plate U. Fig. 3. The male. 
Bulfinch, alp, or nope. Wit. orn. 247. 
Rail fyn. av. 86. 
Brijfon av. III. 308, 
T H E wild note of this bird is not in the 
left mufical; but when tame becomes 
remarkably docil, and may be taught 
any tune after a pipe ; or to whiffle any notes in 
Fig. 4. The female, 
Rubicilla, five pyrrhula. Gefner 
av. 733. 
Loxia pyrrhula. Lin. fyft. 171. 
* - » 
the jufteft manner: it feldom forgets what it has 
learned. A gentleman in Lancajhire , had one 
that could whiffle feveral tunes ; and was fo well 
difeiplined, that it would come at call, perch on its 
mafter’s 
