82 Major J. Biddulph on the Birds of Gil git.. 



The males measure from 8-9 to 9* 7 inches in length (the 

 average being 9*4), with the wing from 4iOO to 4'8, and the 

 tail from 39 to 4"3. In the females the wing measures from 

 4"35 to 4*65 inches^ and the tail from 3'9 to 4. 



Breeding males shot in June and July were still in female 

 plumage^ which is apparently not assumed till after the first 

 breeding-season. Jerdon is wrong in stating that the sexes 

 are alike. In the females the sooty black is replaced by 

 brownish ash, and the feathers of the cheeks, throat, and 

 breast pale-centred. 



161. Pyrrhula aurantiaca, Gould. 



This Bullfinch appears to be very local, but in certain 

 localities is common, especially among pine-forests. They are 

 permanent residents. 



The upper tail-coverts are velvet-black, not white (as stated 

 by Jerdon). 



162. Erythrospiza incarnata (Sev.). 



A constant resident, but seldom comes below 6000 feet, 

 except in severe weather. I found it at about 10,000 feet 

 in the Astor valley in June, when it was no doubt breeding. 

 I have seldom seen it except in large flocks of twenty or thirty. 

 On 29tli April I shot seven out of a flock, which all turned 

 out to be males. 



The plate in Pere David's ' Oiseaux de la Chine ' represents 

 the bird as far darker than any of the Gilgit specimens, espe- 

 cially about the cheeks and nape. 



163. Carpodacus p.ubicillus (Giild.). 



Very confmon in Gilgit, in flocks of twenty and thirty, 

 from the middle of December to the beginning of March in 

 1877-78, but never seen again at any season or elevation. 

 They prefer stony places, and keep to the same place day 

 after day. There were places where I could always depend 

 on finding a flock. 



I have now a large series of this bird from Turkestan, 

 Ladak, the valley of the Yarkund river near its source, and 

 the Oxus valley. The plumage varies greatly in both sexes 

 according to age, season, and locality — so much so that I 



