The ROSE-BREASTED HAWFINCH (_Coccoborus ludovicianus_) is an American bird, equally remarkable for its beauty of plumage and sweetness of song. It is about seven inches long and eleven inches across; the wing measures three inches, and the tail rather more than two. The body is compact, the wings broad and of moderate length; the tail comparatively short and somewhat rounded; the beak short, strong, pointed, and almost conical; the upper mandible slightly hooked. The plumage is soft, brilliant, and very striking in its colours. The entire head, as well as the upper part and nape of the neck, back, wings, and tail is glossy black; the first row of feathers on the wing-covers and the tips of those on the second row are white, as are the roots of the primary quills, the wings being thus bordered by a double band of white. The inner web of the three exterior tail-feathers is also white, and the sides of the breast, under part of the body, lower portion of the neck, and middle of the breast, of a magnificent carmine red, the latter colour being also visible upon the lower wing-covers. The beak is whitish, the eyes are brown, and the feet greyish brown. The plumage of the female is olive grey, spotted with dark brown, each individual feather being marked in the middle with the same colour. Over the head runs a yellow stripe, spotted and edged with dark brown; the eyes are surrounded by a white line; the wings and tail are brown, the lower portions of both having a yellowish shade; the former are bordered by two light lines, which are much narrower than in the male. The neck, breast, and sides are marked with dark brown, and the lower wing-covers shaded with rose colour. [Illustration: THE ROSE-BREASTED HAWFINCH (_Coccoborus ludovicianus_).]