410 BIRDS OF INDIA, 



districts in the North-west, and that its song is very like that of 

 the English Siskin, Hodgson says it is more common in the 

 Central region than in the northern. 



Besides the common Siskin of Europe, C. sphius, another 

 species from Siberia, Ch. pistacina, Eversman, is recorded by 

 Bonaparte. 



The South American Siskins are numerous, and one with a red 

 tone of color has been separated by Bonaparte as Pyrrlioiidtns. 



The smallest member of this sub-family, perhaps should be 

 placed next the Siskins. 



Gen. Metoponia, Bonap. 



Char. — Bill short, thick, nearly regularly conic, slightly bulging ; 

 the culmen very gently curved ; gonys almost straight ; wings 

 lono- ; tarsus moderate ; middle toe lonsr laterals short. 



This unique little Finch in some measure recalls the coloring of 

 the Weaver-birds, and, it represents the Pyrrhuline Pyrrko-plectes 

 among the True Finches, as also, says Bonaparte, a remarkable 

 American bird, Catamhiyrhynclais diadema. 



751. Metoponia pusilla, Pallas. 



Passer, apud Pallas, Zool, Ross. As,, 2nd vol. pi. — Hoksf., 

 Cat. 754— Fringilla rubrifrons, Hay, J. A. S. XV. 38— Serinus 

 aurifrons, Bltth, Cat. 681. 



The Gold-headed Finch. 



Descr. — Forehead and top of head bright golden yellow ; 

 occiput, cheeks, throat, and forencck, black, passing to dusky on the 

 nape and sides of the neck ; back dusky, with yellowish lateral 

 margins to the feathers; rump, towards the tail, deep canary yellow ; 

 shoulder of wing golden fulvous ; margins of quills and tail feathers 

 saffron yellow ; under tail-coverts pale canary yellow ; the rest of 

 the lower parts albescent yellow, with dusky central streaks; 

 axillarles pure white ; a pale bar on the wing, formed by the tips 

 of the greater coverts, and the outer webs of the secondaries near 

 their base. 



