PURPLE FINCH.
above and a few transverse scutella below, posteriorly with an acutely
angular longitudinal plate; toes scutellate above, free, the lateral ones
nearly equal; claws slender, arched, compressed, acute, that of the hind
toe not much larger.
Plumage compact above, blended beneath, wings of moderate length,
third and fourth primaries longest, second and first very little shorter.
Tail forked. The lateral feathers curved outwards toward the tip.
Bill deep brown above, paler and tinged with blue beneath. Iris
blackish-brown. Feet and claws brown. Head, neck, breast, back, and
upper tail-coverts of a rich deep lake, approaching to crimson on the
head and neck, and fading into rose-colour on the belly. Fore part of
the back streaked with brown. Quills and larger coverts deep brown,
margined externally and tipped with red. Tail feathers deep brown,
similarly margined. A narrow band of cream-colour across the forehead
margining the base of the upper mandible.
Length 6 inches, extent of wings 9, beak along the ridge T
5^, along
the gap -fz, tarsus f.
Female. Plate IV. Fig. S.
The young bird so closely resembles the adult female, that the same
description will answer for both. The general colour of the upper parts
is brownish-olive, streaked with dark brown. There is a broadish white
line over the eye, and another from the commissure of the gap backwards.
The under parts are greyish white, the sides streaked with brown.
The quills and tail-feathers are dark brown, margined with olive.
THE RED LARCH.
LARIX AMERICANA, Pursh, Fl. Amer. vol. ii. p. 645. Mich. Arbr. Forest, de l'Amer.
Sept. vol. iii. p. 1 3 7 . PI- 4—MONOSCIA POLYANDRIA, Linn. CONIFERS, JUSS.
This species of larch, which is distinguished by its short, deciduous,
fasciculate leaves, and short ovate cones, occurs in the more northern
parts of the United States, and in the mountainous regions of the middle
states. It attains a height of sixty feet, and a diameter sometimes of
two feet The wood is highly esteemed on account of its excellent qualities.
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B O N A P A R T E ' S F L Y - C A T C H E R.
MUSCICAPA BONAPARTII.
PLATE V. MALE.
WHILST I have the pleasure of honouring this beautiful new species
with the name of so distinguished a naturalist as CHARLES LUCIEN
BONAPARTE, Prince of Musignano, I regret that I am unable to give any
account of its habits, or even of its manner of flight, and must therefore
confine my remarks upon it within very brief space. The following extract
from my journal contains all that I have to say respecting it.
" Monday, August 13th 1821.—Louisiana.—On arriving at the
Cypress Swamp (about five miles from St Francisville), I saw a great
number of small birds of different species, and as I looked at them I observed
two engaged in a fight or quarrel. I shot at them, but only one
fell. On reaching the spot, I found the bird was only wounded, and
saw it standing still and upright as if stupified by its fall. When I
approached it to pick it up, it spread its tail, opened its wings, and snapped
its bill about twenty times sharply and in quick succession, as birds
of the genus do when seizing insects on wing. I carried it home, and
had the pleasure of drawing it while alive and full of spirit. It often
made off from my hand, by starting suddenly, and then would hop round
the room as quickly as a Carolina Wren, uttering its tweet, tweet, tweet
all the while, and snapping its bill every time I took it up. I put it into
a cage for a few minutes, but it obstinately thrust its head through
the lower parts of the wires. I relieved it from this sort of confinement,
and allowed it to go about the room. Next day it was very weak and
ruffled up, so I killed it and put it in spirits." To this account I have
only to add, that I have not seen another individual since.
MUSCICAPA BONAPARTII. Plate V .
Bill of moderate length, straight, subtrigonal, depressed at the base,
acute, upper mandible slightly notched and a little inflected at the tip,
lower mandible straight. Nostrils basal, lateral, roundish, partly cover