384 BIRDS OF INDIA. 



1st. —Grosbeaks ; 2nd.— Bull-finches ; 3rd. — Cross-bills ; 4tli.— 

 Kose finches ; 5th, — True Finches. 



Bonaparte classes them in FringilliiKB and Loxiina, placing the 

 Grosbeaks, true Finches,and Bull-finches in the former; Avhile the 

 Cross-bills and Rose-finches, with the Linnets, and the Mountain- 

 finches are classed among the latter. 



1st. — Grosbeaks — Coccothraustin(S of some. 



In these the bill is very large, thick, and conical ; the wings 

 rather long, and the tail somewhat short ; the legs are stout and 

 strongly scutate ; and they comprise the giants of the Finch tribe. 

 They frequent forests, and live chiefly on stony fruit, Avhich they 

 crush with their powerful mandibles. There are only a few 

 species, spread over Europe, xYsia, and North America ; and, of 

 these, four species are found in the Himalayas, belonging to 

 two genera. 



Gen. Hesperiphona, Bonap. 



Char. — Bill conic, thick, half as long again as deep, slightly 

 tumid for the basal two-thirds, with the tip of the upper mandible 

 bent a little over that of the lower ; wings with the 2nd, 3rd, and 

 4tli quills sub-equal, 1st rather shorter ; tail rather long, even 

 or sub-furcate. 



This genus was founded on a bird from North America, and has 

 a somewhat elongated form compared with other large Grosbeaks. 

 The males are black and yellow, and the females duller. There 

 are two species in the Himalayas. 



725. Hesperiphona icterioides, Vigors. 



Coccothraustes, apud Vigors — Gould, Cent. Him. Birds, 

 pi. 45— Birds of Asia, pt. Ill, pL 13— Blyth, Cat. 687— 

 HoRSF., Cat. 697. < 



The Black and yellow Grosbeak. 



Descr. — Male, with the head and neck, wings, thigh-coverts, the 

 extreme tail-coverts, and tail, black ; the rest of the plumage rich 

 yellow, inclining to orange on the nape, and paler beneath. 



The female is dull olivaceous grey, with the back and rump 

 tinged with fulvous, and the abdomen and luider tail-coverts 

 more strongly fulvous, or rusty yellow ; quills and tail black. 



