284 Major J. Biddulph on the Birds of Gilgit. 



P. thiiru arc deep reddish chestnut^ and the upper parts and 

 wings are free from any tinge of rufous. 



Blyth^s specific name has, uufortuuately, been given to 

 a Rose-Finch in North America. The generic distinctness of 

 the Carpodacus and Projxisser groups does not appear well 

 marked in all species, and a different classification must some 

 day be found necessary. Under the circumstances I would 

 suggest the name of Propasse?' blythi for this species. 



In the Rose-Finch group there is extremely little variation 

 between individuals of a species ; but written descriptions of 

 the three species P. thura, P. blythi, and P. rhodopeplus are 

 necessarily so similar that, without comparison, a collector 

 must find it dillicult to discriminate any single one of the 

 three. Some guidance appears to be furnished by the wing- 

 measurements of the males, which are as follows : — P. blythi 

 3 '25 to 3*4 inches, P. thura 3" 15 to 3*3, P. rhodopeplus 3 

 to 3'1. The feet and tarsi of P. blythi are also more 

 slender than in the other two species. Still greater difficulty 

 exists in discriminating the females; nor are their measure- 

 ments so sure a giiide as in the males, by reason of males 

 of the first year being classed as females when not sexed by 

 dissection. 



1G9. Mktoponia pusiLLA (Pallas). 



I procured a number of specimens from the Shandur pla- 

 teau between Yassin and Chitral. Having now a large 

 number of immature specimens, I see that my former assump- 

 tion of the adoption of the red feathers in the poll during the 

 first year was incorrect. The black breast and golden mark- 

 ings to the wing-coverts are assumed in the first year during 

 the autumn ; but the red head is not complete till after the 

 first breeding-season. I have a specimen shot on the 7th 

 June which barely shows any trace of red on the head, though 

 in other respects the adult plumage is complete. 



170. LlNARIA BKEVIKOSTRIS, Gould. 



As before mentioned (Ibis, 1881, pp. 80, 578), I did not 

 meet with this Linnet anywhere in the district during 1876, 

 1877, 1878, and the first eight months of 1879. It suddenly 



