The Bulfinch. Rubicilla.
Numb. LIX, and LX.
ITS Weight is thirteen Drams; Length from the End of the Bill to the End of its
Tail fix Inches; Breadth when the Wings are extended ten Inches ; it hath a black,
fliort, ftrong Bill, like that of the Grosbeak, but lefs, and in the . old Birds fomething
crooked; the Tongue is ihortas if cut off; its Eyes are Hazel coloured ; its Legs duiky,
and its Claws black, the lower Joint of the outermoft Toe flicking faft to the middle
Toe. The Head is larger to the Proportion of the Body, than in other fmall Birds,
and the Male hath his Breafi, Throat and Jaws adorned with a lovely Scarlet or Crim-
fon Colour; the Feathers on the Crown of the Head, above the Eyes, and thple which
compafs the Bill are black ; the Rump and Belly white ; the Neck, Back and Shoulders
of a blewiih grey, with a certain Tindture of red. The quill Feathers pf the Wings are
in Number eighteen, the laft of which on the outer half from the Shaft is red, the inner-
moft black and glofly; the interior of the reft are black with a Glofs of blue, and the
exterior a duiky black. Of the firft or outermoft five, the exterior Edges in the upper
half of the Feathers are whitiih; . the Tips of the lower cqvert Feathers are cinereous;,
in the interior more, and in the exterior lefs; the next to thefe are of the fame Colour,
with the Back; the Tail is two Inches long, black and ihining, m^de up qf twelve
Feathers.
The Cock is of equal Bignefs to the Hen, but hath a flatter Crown, and excells her
in the Beauty of his Colours. They are very docile Birds, the Hen learning after the
Pipe or Whiffle, as well as the Cock, having no Song of their ownbut what isj’p tgjit
them, in which they excel! raoft Birds. They are very deftru&ive. to "the Buds pf mp
Apple Tree, Pear Tree, Peach Tree, and other Garden Trees, efpecially Apficpts and
Plumbs, of which they only take the blowing Buds, which they delight to feed on ;
they build on Heaths, but their Nefts are difficult to be found. You may bring the young
Birds up after the Manner of the Goldfinch, giving them white Bread ar.d Milk.
They are fubjedt to the Giddinefs pf the Head, for the Cure of which you mull
give them four or five Earwigs a Week. The Birds are commonly fed with Hemp-
ieed, and Rape and Canary, in which laft they delight moft.