50        CRIMSON-NECKED BULLFINCH.
necked Bullfinch; two of these, belonging to the genus Pyrrhula,
present so much analogy with the present species, judging from
their descriptions, that we doubted the correctness of giving the
latter a separate place, considering it identical with Pyrrhula
erythrina of Temminck, whose description agrees better with it
than that of any other. Yet, in addition to some differences dis-
coverable by comparing the Crimson-necked Bullfinch with his
description, we cannot admit, that an arctic bird of the old conti-
nent, known to visit even the more northern portion of the tempe-
rate climates only during very cold winters, and then not very
regularly, should be found, in the month of July, on the sultry
plains of the Arkansaw, and of course breeding there. We there-
fore conclude that our bird is not the erythrina, although we regret
our inability to give differential characters, having never seen that
species, as our endeavours to obtain a specimen have not been
attended with success. The southern residence of our bird might
lead us to suppose it the Loxia (Pyrrhula) violacea, which we
have not seen, neither do we 'think the species well established.
But, if we are to rely on the short description given of it, and on
Catesby's figure, we cannot perceive much resemblance between
them; their identity, however, would not much surprise us, when
we consider that Catesby's figure of the Pyrrhula riolacea is as
much like our bird, as his figure of the Purple Finch is like what
it is intended to represent. Having the authority of Say, we con-
sider it as new, notwithstanding these doubts.
The Crimson-necked Bullfinch was procured by Long's party,
near the Rocky Mountains, and Say described it in the journal of
that expedition, under the name of Fringilla frontalis, adopting
that genus in the comprehensive limits assigned by Illiger and
Cuvier. The specific name given by Say is preoccupied in that
genus by an African species; but, as we consider our bird a Pyr-
rhula, we think proper to retain his name.
The Crimson-necked Bullfinch is five inches and a half long.