47. PYRRHULA. 457 



10. Pyrrhula erythrocephala. 



Pyrrhula erythrocephala, Vigors, P. Z. S. 1831, p. 174; Gould, Cent. 

 Himal. B. pi. 32 (1832) ; Hodgs. Icon, hied, in Brit. Mus., Passeres, 

 pi. 308. figs. 1-4 (nos. 335-338) ; id. in Gray's Zool. Misc. p. 85 

 (1844) ; Blyth, J. A. S. Beng. xiii. p. 951 (1844) ; Gray, Gen. B. 

 ii. p. 387 (1844) ; id. Cat. Mamm. etc. Nepal pres. Hodgs. p. Ill 

 (1846) ; Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. As. Soc. p. 123 (1849) ; Bp. Co)isp. 

 i. p. 525 (1850) ; Gould, B. Asia, v. pi. 36 (1853) ; Horsf. $ 

 Moore, Cat. B. B.I. Co. Mus. ii. p. 454 ; Jerd. B. Lid. ii. p. 388 

 (1863) ; Blyth, Ibis, 1863, p. 442 ; Beavan, Ibis, 1867, p. 142, 

 1868, p. 176 ; Pelz. Ibis, 1868, p. 318 ; Gray, Hand-l. B. ii. p. 99, 

 no. 7478 (1870) ; Tristr. Ibis, 1871, p. 232 ; Brooks, Str. F. 1875, 

 p. 255; mime, Str. F. 1879, p. 108; Salvin, Cat. Strickl. Coll. 

 p. 203 (1882) ; Marshall, Ibis, 1884, p. 420. 



Adult male. General colour above ashy grey, with a purplish 

 band across the lower back, succeeded by a white rump ; lesser 

 wing-coverts like the back, with a reddish tinge ; median coverts 

 also ashy, with concealed black bases ; greater coverts purplish 

 black for the basal half, ashy grey for the terminal half, with a 

 narrow whitish fringe ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills 

 black, with a velvety purplish gloss, especially on the secondaries ; 

 upper tail-coverts and centre tail-feathers purplish black ; the re- 

 mainder black, externally purplish ; crown of head, nape, and hind 

 neck clear vermilion, separated from the black forehead by a narrow 

 line of ashy, which reaches to above the eye ; lores, forehead, 

 feathers below the eye, and the eyelid, as well as the fore part of 

 the cheeks and chin, black ; ear-coverts and hinder cheeks pale ashy 

 grey, with a slight wash of red ; the rest of the throat ashy grey, 

 tinged with red like the ear-coverts ; sides of neck, fore neck, and 

 breast paler vermilion ; abdomen ashy grey, whiter towards the vent 

 and under tail- coverts ; sides of body pale vermilion like the breast ; 

 flanks ashy grey ; thighs ashy grey : under tail-coverts white ; under 

 wing-coverts and axillaries whitish, the latter more ashy, with a 

 reddish tinge ; quills below dusky, ashy whitish along the inner 

 edge : " bill black ; legs pale fleshy brown ; iris light brown " 

 (Jerdon). Total length 5 - 4 inches, culmen 0-4, wing 3-1, tail 2*4, 

 tarsus - 7. 



Adult female. General colour above drab-brown, rather clearer 

 ashy on the hind neck, dusky on the lower back ; rump white ; 

 lesser and median wing-coverts ashy or brown tinged with ashy ; 

 greater coverts black at base, ashy brown for the terminal third, 

 and fringed with ashy whitish ; bastard-wing and primary-coverts 

 ashy grey, the latter edged with black ; quills black, edged with 

 velvety black, the inner secondaries purplish black ; upper tail- 

 coverts and centre tail-feathers purplish black, the remainder black, 

 edged and tipped with purplish black ; crown of head olive-yellow, 

 as well as the occiput and nape ; forehead black, separated from the 

 yellow crown by a line of ashy grey ; hind neck olive-yellow ; lores, 

 fore part of checks, feathers round eye, and chin, black ; ear-coverts 



