23 ± FRINGILLIDJE. 



some of the longer tail-coverts mingled black and ashy ; tail black, 

 the feathers narrowly margined with white and the outermost 

 feather with a good deal of white on it ; lesser wing-coverts and 

 scapulars orange-rufous ; median coverts chiefly white ; gi'eater 

 coverts black, tipped with pale rufous, the innermost feather or two 

 with the inner web white ; tertiaries black, edged with rufous ; 



Fig. 65. — Head of F. montifringilla. 



remainder of quills black edged with pale yellow, and many of the 

 primaries with a basal white patch on the outer web and a broad 

 white margin on the inner ; sides of the head and neck black, 

 streaked and mottled with rufous ; chin, throat, and breast orange- 

 rufous ; abdomen white ; under tail-coverts pale buff ; flanks buff 

 spotted with black ; axillaries primrose-yellow ; under wing-coverts 

 white suffused with yellow. In the late spring and summer the 

 margins of the feathers of the head and back are cast or get worn 

 away, leaving those parts deep black and the longer upper tail- 

 coverts are also entirely black ; the margins of the wing- and tail- 

 feathers become reduced and in some cases entirely disappear. 



Female. Not very different from the male in winter plu- 

 mage, but the dark parts of the plumage are paler and the rufous 

 margins broader ; the lesser and greater wing-coverts and the 

 scapulars are dark brown, fringed with rufous, and the median 

 coverts are broadly tipped with white ; the chin, throat, and breast 

 are much paler rufous. Many specimens have an ashen patch on 

 the nape, and this colour suffuses the sides of the neck. 



Young birds resemble the female in general appearance, but are 

 suffused with yellow. 



Bill light grey at base, dusky at tip ; iris brown ; legs and feet 

 fleshy brown (Vnwin). In summer the bill becomes black. 



Length rather more then 6 ; tail 2*6 ; wing 3"5 ; tarsus *75 ; bill 

 from gape - 6. 



Distribution. Occurs in Gilgit and N.W. Punjab at the spring 

 and autumn migrations. This species summers and breeds in the 

 more northerly portions of Europe and Asia and in winter migrates 

 southwards, being found at that season in Southern Europe, South- 

 western Asia from Asia Minor to Afghanistan, and in China. 



Habits, Sfc. The Brambling is found in flocks and frequents 

 forest country, but, like many other Einches, feeds on the ground 

 both on seeds and insects as well as on trees. 



