PYRRHOPLECTES. 207 



Bill greenish horn-colour with a black tip ; legs fleshy brown ; 

 iris brown (Hodgson). 



Length about 6*5 ; tail 3; wing 3-4; tarsus '65; bill from 

 gape '5. 



Distribution. The Himalayas from Garhwalto Sikhim. Blanford 

 observed this species in Sikhim at 10,000 feet. 



Genus PYKRHOPLECTES, Hodgs., 1844. 



The genus Pyrrhoplectes contains one species, which resembles the 

 Bullfinches in general appearance and structure, but it has the bill 

 less tumid and the rump is of the Same colour as the lower back. 

 It may be recognized from all the other species of Indian Frin- 

 gillidce by the colour of the inner webs of the tertiaries, which are 

 pure white. Both sexes possess this character. 



749. Pyrrhoplectes epauletta. The Gold-healed Black Finch. 



Pyrrhula ? epauletta, Hodgs. As. Res. xix, p. 156 (1836). 

 pyrrhoplectes epauletta (Hodgs.), Horsf. fy M. Cat. ii, p. 455 ; Jerd. 



B. 1. ii, p. 392 ; Blanf. J. A. S. B. xli, pt. ii, p. 65; Hums, Cat. 



no. 733 ; Skarpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 386. 

 Pyvrhuloides epauletta (Hodgs.), Blyth, Cat.j). 337. 

 The Gold-headed Black Bull/inch, Jerd. ; Lho sampreh-pho, Lepch. 



Coloration. Male. The whole plumage black except the hinder 

 part of the crown and nape, which are golden orange, the axil- 

 laries and a small portion of the middle abdomen, which are orange- 

 buff, the under wing-coverts and the inner webs of the tertiaries, 

 which are white. 



Female.. Forehead, anterior part of crown, lores, rouud the eyes, 

 and base of cheeks ashy grey more or less suffused with olive-yellow, 

 and turning to this colour entirely on the remainder of the crown, 

 the ear-coverts, and the sides of the head ; hind neck, sides of neck, 

 and upper back ashy grey, turning to chestnut-brown, which is the 

 colour of the lower back, rump, upper tad-coverts, scapulars, and 

 visible portions of the wing-coverts ; wings and tail dark brown, 

 the tertiaries rufous on the outer, white on the inner, webs ; entire 

 lower plumage chestnut-brown except the axillaries, which are 

 orange-buff, and the under wing-coverts, which are whitish. 



The nestling resembles the adult female aud moults into female 

 adult plumage at the first autumn moult ; the young males acquire 

 the adult plumage during the first winter and by a very gradual 

 process extending over several months. 



Bill dusky horny ; legs brown ; iris brown (Jerdoa). 



Length nearly 6 ; tail 2-4 ; wing 3'1 ; tarsus -75 ; bill from 

 gape '5. 



Distribution. The Himalayas from the eastern side of the valley 

 of the Sutlej to Sikhim. Blanford met with this species in Sikhim 

 at 11,000 feet. 



