CARPODACUS. 



189 



Melophus melanieterus, Lath. ; Gould. G. B. pi. ; Jerd. 2nd 

 Suppl. Cat. 182; id. B. Bid. ii. p. 380, No. 724; Hume, 8tr. F. iii. 

 498; vi. 409; vii. 517; Murraij, Str. F. vii. 113. Emberiza cristata, 

 Vig. F. Z. S. 1831; (the female) Emberiza erythroptera, Jard. and 

 Selhy, III. Oiii. pi. 132. — The Crested Black Bunting. 



Entire bead, neck, back, scapulars, rump, upper tail-coverts, cbin, 

 throat, breast, and under surflice, including the under tail-coverts, 

 glossy black, ung'lossedon tlie latter; lesser wing- coverts black; median 

 and greater series, primaries, secondaries and tail dark cinnamon; tlie 

 primaries, secondaries and tail feathers tipped dusky brown; bill pale 

 brown, darkish on the upper mandible; legs reddish brown; irides 

 dark brown. 



Length. — 6'5 inches, wing 3*25, tail 2*75j bill at front 0*5. The 

 Female is dusky brown, the feathers edged paler; under surface ruf- 

 escent white; wings duller or pale cinnamon. 



Hah. — Siad, Rajputana, N. Grazerat, Concan, Deccan, Nepaul and 

 Tenasserim ; also Central and Southern India. 



Sub-Family, FRINGILLIN^E ; VYRRRULINJE.— Gray. 



Bill variable in form and size, thick, sloping to the sides, conical ; 

 tarsi moderate. 



Gen. Carpodacus. — Kaup. 



Bill tumid, rather longer than in Pyrrhula, and compressed at the 

 tip, notched near its base ; tail forked. 



Carpodacus erythrinus. Pall. Zoogr. t. 36, 1 ; Viell. 0. 0. t. 65 ; 

 Naum^ vogt. t. 113, 1,2; Gould. B. Eur. pi. 206; Bp. Lax. t. 14; 

 Graij, Handlist B. 7507, p. 101 ; Blf. East. Pers. ii. 2, 250; Jerd. B. Ind. 

 ii p. 398, No. 7-18; Murray, Hdblc, ZooL, §x., Sind, ^i. 186.— Tee 

 Common Kose-Finch. 



Male, Winter Plumage. — Head, throat, breast, moustachial stripe, 

 rump and flanks rose colour, brighter and deeper on the throat, head 

 and breast ; back and scapulars ruddy brown, roseate on the rump and 

 upper tail-coverts; wing-coverts tipped with ruddy brown, forming two 

 pale bars on the wings ; tertiaries margined with pale brown ; the quills 

 and tail feathers with ruddy edgings. Id summer the crown, throat, 

 breast and rump become brilliant crimson. The Female is olive brown 

 with dark streaks ; the tips of the greater and lesser wing-coverts 

 whitish, forming two conspicuous bauds on the wings ; below paler 

 brown, albescent on the throat, the middle of the belly and under tail- 

 coverts darker and somewhat streaked on the breast and flanks. — 

 Jerdon, B. Bid. p. 398. 



Bill yellowish brown ; feet horny brown ; irides light brown. 



Length. — 5'5 inches, wing 3'25, tail 2*25. 



Hab. — Sind, Beloochistan, Persia, Afghanistan, Punjab, N. W. 

 Provinces, Oudh, Central India, Rctjputana, Kutch, Guzerat, Coucan, 

 Deccan, and S. India. 



