FINCH FAMILY

(Fringillidae), a large family of perching birds, with 700 species, found throughout the whole world with the exception of Madagascar, Australia, and New Zealand and the neighboring islands. They are seed eating birds of small size, characterized by their short, thick, conical beak, with smooth biting edges. There is much variation and much beauty in the colorng of their plumage. Some finches have exceedingly stout, clumsy bills, the lower 1alf being deep and strong; such are he rare Brit. Hawfinch (Coccothraustes vulgar is) and common Greenfinch (Ligurius chloris), and the N. American | Red Cardinal (Cardinal is virginia nus) and Grosbeaks ( Hedymeles). Others have le clumsy and deep beaks, (e.g.) the highly emigratory Brambling (F, rubicilla), the Canary (Serinus canarius), so called because of its abundance in the Canary Islands, the Sparrows (Pa er, etc.), the Redpolls and Linnets (Linaria), the Siskins (Chrysomitris). the Rose Finch or Scarlet Grosbeak (Carpodacus) of N. Europe, and si ~urious e€ seeming misfit of the two halves of the bill, which cro near the tip. Species of Buntings belong also to this family.