170 ERYTHROSPIZA GITHAGINEA. 



Genus I. ERYTHROSPIZA. 



Bill short, stout and globose, with a slight trace of a culminal ridge 

 sometimes absent ; nostrils basal and hidden. Wing, long and pointed ; 

 first primary the longest; shortest secondary falling short of the tip of 

 the wing by 1-4 inches ; tarsus 0-75. Tail slightly forked, depth of fork OS. 

 Tarsi and feet moderate; middle toe with claw 0-75; hind toe with 

 claw 0'5. 



Sexes similar in plumage, but the adult differs from the young in having 

 the bill bright red as well as much beautiful rosy-red colouring in the 

 plumage ; this is brightest on the quills and tail, while the young are of a 

 sandy brown with the bill pale yellowish brown. The genus ranges from 

 the Mediterranean countries, through Central Asia to China and southward 

 into the north-east African sub-region. 



Erythrospiza, Bp. Saggio, pp. 53, 141 (1831) . . . . E. githaginea. 



Erythrospiza githaginea. 



Eringilla githaginea, Licht. Verz. Doubl. p. 24 (1823) Upper Egypt. 

 Erythrospiza githaginea, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii. p. 284 (1888) Korosko ; 



Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 252 (1896). 

 Pyrrhula githaginea, Chalihl-Effeudi, J. f. 0. 1859, p. 469 Nuhia. 

 Pyrrhula payraudaei, Audouin, Expl. somm. PI. Ois. Egypte, p. 286, pi. 5, 



fig. 8 (1825). 



Adult. Wings and tail mostly dark brown ; remainder of plumage 

 ashy isabelhne, slightly greyer on the crown and whitish on the abdomen 

 and under tail-coverts ; front half of the head, mantle, throat, breast and 

 under tail-coverts washed with pink or pale rosy crimson ; lower back and 

 upper tail-coverts of a pinkish shade, glossed with pale bright crimson 

 edges to the feathers ; greater wing-coverts, quills and tail-feathers partially j 



edged with the same glossy bright crimson. Bill bright orange red in life ; V 



iris brown ; tarsi and feet brownish flesh colour. Total length 4-8 inches, - 



culmen 0-4, wing 3-4, tail 2-1, tarsus 0-7. J , 7. 5. 70. Egypt (Shelley). 



In winter plumage the red on the wings, tail and breast is paler and 

 more pink. 



Young. Sandy isabelUne, slightly paler on the breast ; greater portion 

 of wings and tail dark brown with broad isabelline edges to the feathers ; no 

 red on the plumage. 



The Trumpeter Bullfinch rauges from Nubia over North 

 Africa generally eastwards into India. 



