222 BIBDS OF TUNISIA 



ERYTHROSPIZA SANGUINE A (Gould). 

 CEIMSON-WINGED FINCH. 



Fringilla sanguinea, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 127. 



Erythrospiza sanguinea, Blanford, East. Persia, ii, p. 252 (1876); 



Koe7iig, J.f. 0. 1893, p. 68. 

 Rhodopechys sanguinea, Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xii, p. 280. 

 Rhodopechys Phoenicoptera, Lochc, Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, p. 163 (1867). 



Description. — Adult male, spring, from Persia. 



Forehead and crown blackish ; sides of the crown, cheeks and nape light 

 brown ; lores reddish ; upper parts generally umber-brown, the feathers of 

 the back with darker centres ; upper tail-coverts washed with rose ; outer 

 rectrices white, the adjoining feather on each side white throughout its 

 greater part and tipped with blackish, the remaining tail-feathers blackish, 

 with white bases ; quills and greater wing-coverts dark brown, externally 

 margined with rose-red, the inner secondaries tipped with white; chin, 

 throat, upper breast and sides pale umber-brown ; remainder of underparts 

 whitish, washed with rose. 



Iris brown ; bill yellowish-brown ; feet brown. 



Total length 6 inches, wing 4-20, culmen -50, tarsus -75. 



Adult female similar to the male, but duller generally, and less tinged 

 with rose. 



Soft parts and measurements as in male. 



Loche includes this species in his list of Algerian birds under the 

 name of Bhodopechys phcenicoptera (Bonap.) (Expl. Sci. Alg. Ois. i, 

 p. 163), and states that he saw a specimen which had been brought by 

 Dr. Buvry from the Tunisian frontier, and a second example obtained 

 in the neighbourhood of Zaatcha. 



Dr. Koenig also (J. f. 0. 1893, p. 68) mentions the fact of the 

 naturalist Alessi, of Gabes, having informed him that an Arab had 

 once brought him a beautiful bird of the genus Erythrospiza, which 

 may perhaps have been Loche's B. phoenicoptera. Apparently this 

 specimen was too badly shot to be preserved. 



Although recent travellers in Tunisia do not appear to have met 

 this species in the Regency, there is no reason to doubt the authenticity 

 of the occurrences recorded above, particularly, as either this or a very 

 closely allied species is to be found in the Maroccan Atlas. This latter 

 was discovered by Mr. E. Dodson, when collecting for me in that 

 country, at Glaoui, a valley in the Great Atlas, about 5,000 feet above 



