84 Major J. Biddulpli on the Birds of Gilgit. 



lineatum, with chocolate spots sparingly scattered over them, 

 chiefly towards the larger end. In one out of a dozen the 

 spots are almost entirely wanting; in some they are paler, 

 almost of a sienna-tint, in others nearly black, while on a few 

 there are also one or two pale purplish spots and fine reddish 

 scrawls at the larger end ; and in these the spots are almost 

 confined to the larger end, in an ill-defined zone or cap. 



Nests were taken at 10,000 feet elevation on July 16, 17, 

 20, 21, 29, and 30, all with eggs mostly fresh. 



165. Propasser rhodochlamys (Brandt). 



Is a permanent resident, but is very seldom seen below 

 6000 feet. The measurements of the numerous specimens 

 obtained correspond exactly with those given by Jerdon, and 

 the bird itself with Gould^s plate in the ' Birds of Asia,^ also 

 with the plate of Carpodacus sophice in Bonaparte's ' Mono- 

 graphie des Loxiens,' and with a specimen in the Museum 

 from the hills north of Simla. 



As in C. erythrinus, the males do not get their full plumage 

 until after the first breeding-season. Several males with 

 fully-developed testes were shot in May and June in female 

 plumage. 



166. Propasser frontalis (Blyth). 



[Mr. Hume has, I think, prematurely expunged this spe- 

 cies from the Indian list. A pair of Rose Finches, male and 

 female, in full breeding-plumage, shot at Gilgit in June 1878, 

 were brought down with the collection, which, after a careful 

 comparison with some specimens of P. thura from the late 

 Mr. Mandelli^s collection, I decided must stand as P. fron- 

 talis (Blyth). Unfortunately the notes taken of the compa- 

 rison were accidentally destroyed after leaving Calcutta, and 

 as the specimens of P. thura were returned, I can now only 

 give the distinctive features with reference to Jerdon's meagre 

 description. 



The male corresponds with Blyth's description of P. fron- 

 talis, except that the feathers of the top of the head, instead 

 of being plain dark brown, are paler-edged, similarly to, 



