230 FRIXaiLLTDJE. 



Linnet's distribution in the Himalayas. This species extends west- 

 wards to Asia Minor, and is found throughout a considerable portion 

 of Central Asia. 



Habits, SfC. An egg of this species, said to have been found in 

 Native Sikhim, is described as being white with a faint bluish 

 tinge and mottled all over with reddish brown, and to have measured 

 •72 by -55. 



Genus MET0P0NIA, Eonap., 1853. 



The genus Metoponia contains one Finch which has a considerable 

 amount of yellow in its plumage, and connects the Linnets with 

 the Siskins, The sexes are almost alike. The bill is very small 

 but somewhat thick, with the culmen carved. In both sexes the 

 front part of the crown is red. 



771. Metoponia pusilla. The Gold-fronted Finch. 



Passer pusillus, Pallas, Zoogr. Boss.-Asiat. ii, p. 28 (1811). 



Serinus aurifrons, Blyth, Cat. p. 125 (1849). 



Metoponia pusilla {Pall.), Horsf. fy M. Cat. ii, p. 494 ; Jerri. B. I. ii, 

 p. 410; Stoliczka, J. A. 8. B. xxxvii, pt. ii, p. 01 ; Hume 8f Hen- 

 ders. Lah. to Turk. p. 259 ; Hume, N. #■ E. p. 478 ; Brooks, J. A. 

 S. B. xli, pt. ii, p. 84 ; Hume, Cat. no. 751 ; Wardlaw Bamsay, 

 Ibis, 1880, p. 07; Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, p. 80, 1882, p. 284; 

 Scully, Ibis, 1881, p. 578 ; Oates in Hume's N. ty E. 2nd ed. ii, 

 p. 155. 



Serinus pusillus (Pall.), Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 373. 

 The Gold-headed Finch, Jerd. 



Fig. 64. — Head of M. pusilla. 



Coloration. Male. After the autumn moult the forehead and 

 anterior portion of crown are crimson ; remainder of crown, nape, 

 and sides of the neck black, with broad grey fringes ; sides of the 

 head, chin, throat, and upper breast black, with narrow grey fringes ; 

 back, scapulars, and rump black, with broad yellowish margins ; the 

 shorter upper tail-coverts golden yellow, with a subterminal black 

 mark and white tip; longer coverts black, margined with white ; 

 tail black, the outer webs of feathers basally yellow, margined with 

 white elsewhere ; lesser and median wing-coverts yellow, the longer 

 ones tipped white, and the feathers more or less black in the middle ; 

 greater coverts black, broadly tipped yellowish white ; primaries 

 black', edged with yellow ; the remaining quills black, broadly edged 

 with dull white on the terminal half of outer web ; lower plumage 

 from the breast downwards yellowish streaked with black ; under 

 wing-coverts and axillaries bright yellow. In spring and autumn 



