in ornithology, a genus of birds, belonging to the order of paseres. The bill is conical, and the mandibles recede from each other towards the base; the inferior mandible has the sides narrowed inwards, but the upper one is still narrower. There are 24 species; of which the most remarkable are,

1. The nivalis, or great pyed mountain-finch of Ray, and the snow-bird of Edwards, has white wings, but the outer edge of the prime-feathers are black; the tail is black, with three white feathers on each side.

These birds are called in Scotland snow-flakes, from their appearance in hard weather, and in deep snows. They arrive in that season among the Cheviot-hills, and in the Highlands, in amazing flocks. A few breed in the Highlands, on the summit of the highest hills, in the same places with the ptarmigans; but the greatest numbers migrate from the extreme north. They appear in the Shetland islands; then in the Orkneys; and multitudes of them often fall, wearied with their flight, on vessels in the Pentland Frith. Their appearance is a certain fore-runner of hard weather, and storms of snow, being driven by the cold from their common retreats. Their progress southward is probably thus: Spitzbergen and Greenland, Hudson's Bay, the Lapland Alps, Scandinavia, Iceland, the Ferroe Isles, Shetland, Orkneys, Scotland, and the Cheviot-hills. They visit at that season all parts of the northern hemisphere, Prussia, Austria, and Siberia. They arrive lean, and return fat. In Austria, they are caught and fed with millet, and, like the ortolan, grow excessively fat. In their flights, they keep very close to each other, mingle most confusedly together, and fling themselves collectively into the form of a ball; at which instant the fowler makes great havoc among them.

2. The millaris, or grey emberiza, is of a greyish colour, spotted with black in the belly, and the orbits are reddish. It is the bunting of English authors, and a bird of Europe.

3. The hortulana, or ortolan, has black wings; the first three feathers on the tail are white on the edges, only the two lateral are black outwardly. The orbits of the eyes are naked and yellow; the head is greenish, and yellow towards the inferior mandible. It feeds principally upon the panick-gras; grows very fat; and is reckoned a delicate morsel by certain epicures. It is a bird of Europe.

4. The citrinella, or yellow-hammer, has a blackish tail, only the two outward side-feathers are marked on the inner edge with a sharp white spot. It is a bird of Europe, and comes about houses in winter; it builds its nest on the ground in meadows.

5. The scheinicola, or reed-sparrow, has a black head, a blackish-grey body, and a white spot on the quill-feathers. It inhabits marshy places, most commonly among reeds, from which it takes its name. Its nest is worthy of notice for the artful contrivance of it, being fastened to four reeds, and suspended by them like a hammock, about three feet above the water; the cavity of the nest is deep, but narrow; and the materials are butches, fine bents, and hairs. It lays four or five eggs of a bluish white, marked with irregular purplish veins, especially on the larger end. It is a bird much admired for its song; and, like the nightingale, it sings in the night.