196 FRINGlLLIDvE. 



Subfamily COCCOTHRAUSTIN^. 



The subfamily Coccoihraustince contains those Finches which are 

 characterized by a very large bill. They are birds of considerable 

 size and rather bright coloration, and in all the Indian species the 

 sexes differ from each other. They have only one moult a year. 



The Indian Grosbeaks are chiefly inhabitants of the higher parts 

 of the Himalayas ; they live in forests, feed on stony fruits, and 

 are mostly gregarious. They make, so far as is known, cup-shaped 

 nests in trees and lay spotted eggs. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Tips of later primaries and earlier secon- 



daries square or sinuated ; margin of 

 upper mandible not toothed near 

 gape COCCOTHRAUSTES, p. 196. 



b. Tips of later primaries and earlier secon- 



daries rounded or pointed ; margin of 

 upper mandible sinuated or toothed 

 near gape. 

 n'. Difference between wing and tail 



hardly equal to tarsus PYCNORHAMPHUS, p. 198. 



b'. Difference between wing and tail 



about equal to twice tarsus MYCEROBAS, p. 200. 



Genus COCCOTHRAUSTES, Brisson, 1760. 



The genus Coccothraustes contains the Hawfinches, of which two 

 species are known, one inhabiting a considerable portion of Europe 

 and Asia, and the other the north-west portion of the Punjab and 

 probably Afghanistan. 



In Coccothraustes the bill is conical, with the culmen nearly 

 straight and the cutting-edge of the upper mandible curved, but 

 not toothed near the gape ; the nostrils partially concealed by 

 hairs ; tail short and almost square ; wing sharp, the primaries, 

 commencing from the fifth, with sinuated or square tips ; tarsus 

 short. 



The nestling in this genus is highly spotted and also suffused 

 with yellow. 



740. Coccothraustes humii. Hume's Hawfinch. 



Coccothraustes vulgaris (Pall.}, Hume, Ibis, 1869, p. 456 ; id. S. F. 



vii, p. 462 ; id. Cat. no. 728 bis ; Barnes, S. F. ix, p. 456. 

 Coccothraustes humii, Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1886, p. 97 j id. Cat. B. M. 



xii, p. 40, pi. 1. 



Coloration. Male. Feathers immediately next the bill, the lores, 

 chin, and throat black; a narrow baud next these black parts dull 



