the Pine Grosbeak: the oilmen is curved towards the end; whereas in the Arctic
specimen the bill is shorter and almost perfectly conic. Does this result from
age ? We think not. The future examination of more specimens may decide
the point. As for the Pyrrhula frontalis, Bon., the sexes of which are now
before us, it is not only clearly distinct from either, but belongs, in all probability,
to a different group.—Sw.
This bird was seen by us on the banks of the Saskatchewan only, where it
feeds on willow-buds. It is a summer visitor, arriving in the month of May.—R.
DESCRIPTION
Of a male, killed at Carlton House, May, 1827«
Colour.—Head, rump, throat, and sides of the breast and belly crimson, inclining to lake;
back, scapulars, wing coverts, and longer tail coverts the same, mixed with grey, and striped
in the centres with dark chocolate. Lores and region of the bill greyish-brown. Quills and
tail clove-brown, edged with crimson. Belly and under tail coverts ash-grey. Bill pale
horn-colour. Legs brown.
Form.—Bill thick, short, conical, acute ; sides of both its mandibles swollen ; margin of
the upper mandible sinuated, its tip perfectly entire. Under mandible strong, equal to or
slightly exceeding the upper one. Nostrils small, concealed. Crown feathers narrow,
capable of erection. Wings. Four first quills nearly equal, the third being the longest;
fifth almost half an Inch shorter. Tail deeply forked. Tarsi stout, and shorter than the
middle toe. Claws much compressed: hind one longest, and fully curved.
Lin.
Dimensions
Of a male.
Lin Lin.
Length, total . . . 6 3 Length of bill to rictus . 0 6$ Length of middle claw . 0 „ of tail . 2 5 „ of tarsus . 0 24 8* ,, of hind toe . 0 44 „ of wing .
„ of hill above
• 3
. 0 5*
„ of middle toe . 0 6£ „ of its daw . 0 2J
[79.] 1 . L i n a r i a ( L e u c o s t i c t e ) t e p h r o c o t i s . (Swainson.) Grey-crowned
IdnneL
Su b -fa m il y , Coccothraustinas, Sw ain s. Genus, Linaria, A u c t . Sub-genus, Leucosticte, Sw.
Ch . Sp . L in a r ia (Leucosticte) t e p h r o c o t is , castanea, vertice mgrescenti, occipite cinereo-albeseenti, tectricibus
alarum minoribus tectricibusquce caudce et hgpochondriis apicibus roseis.
Sp . Ch . Gr ey -crow ned F inch , chestnut-brown; crown blackish; bind head greyish-white; lesser wing covers,
tail covers, and flanks, tipped with rosy-red.P
late l.
This new and striking species, of which only a single specimen was obtained,
2 M