HYPACANTHIS. 23 1 



the fringes and margins are everywhere reduced or east off, and (he 

 plumage becomes darker. 



Female. Closely resembles the male. 



The nestling is fulvous-brown streaked with brown above ; below 

 fulvous, with a few streaks, and tinged with yellow on the throat; 

 the wings and tail are margined with paler yellow than in the 

 adult. After the first autumn moult the plumage resembles that of 

 the adult, but there is no black on the head, throat, and breast, 

 this colour being gradually acquired during the winter. At the end 

 of the first winter the young resemble the adult in all respects, hut 

 have no red on the forehead, this red being acquired at the second 

 autumn moult. 



Bill dull black ; gape whitish ; iris very dark brown ; legs and 

 feet black (Hume). 



Length 5 ; tail 2-4 ; wing 3*1 ; tarsus *55 ; bill from gape -35. 



Distribution. Kashmir and the Himalayas from Afghanistan to 

 Garhwal, at heights from 5000 to 10,000 feet according to season. 

 This Finch extends westwards to the Caucasus and Asia Minor and 

 northwards to Turkestan. 



Habits, &fc. Breeds in Kashmir and Afghanistan in June and 

 July, constructing a cup-shaped nest of grass and fibres and lined 

 with wool, feathers, and hair. The eggs are described as being dull 

 stone-white, marked with red-brown spots about the larger end, and 

 one egg measured -(55 by "49. 



Genus HYPACANTHIS, Cabanis, 1851. 



The genus Hyjpacanihis contains one species of Finch which is 

 closely allied to the Common Greenfinch of Europe, but has a much 

 more slender bill and a darker style of coloration, the upper plumage 

 being a dark brown. The bill is of much the same shape as that 

 of Acanthis (and is not therefore figured), but considerably deeper 

 and broader. 



772. Hypacanthis spinoides. The Himalayan Greenfinch. 



Carduelis spinoides, Vigors, P. Z. S, 1831, p. 44; Gould, Cent. 



pi. 33, tig. 2. 

 Chrysomitris spinoides (Vtg.), Blyth, Cat. p. 123; Horsf. fy M. Cat. 



\\, p. 493; Jerd. B. I. ii, p. 409; Stoliczka, J. A. S. B. xxxvii, 



pt. ii, p. til ; Blaiif. J. A. S. B. xli, pt. ii, p. G6 ; Brooks, J. A. S. B. 



xli, pt. ii, p. 84 ; Godio.-Aust. J. A. S. B. xlv, pt. ii, p. 200 ; 



Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 201. 

 Hvpacanthis spinoides ( Viy.), Hume, N. §• E. p. 472 ; id. Cat. no. 



750; Scully, S.F.xiu, p. 33G ; Oates in Hume's N. $ E. 2nd 



ed. ii, p. 156. 



Coloration. Male. Forehead either black or yellow or a mixture 

 of both, the differences probably dependent on age; a very broad 

 eyebrow, the sides of the neck meeting behind and forming a more 

 or less distinct collar, the lores, a patch under the eye, a narrow 

 band between the ear-coverts and the cheeks, the rump, and whole 

 lower plumage bright yellow; crown, nape, ear-coverts, and a 



