204 PRINGILLID^). 



Genus PYRRHULA, Briss., 1760. 



The genus Pyrrhula comprises the Bullfinches, which are cha- 

 racterized by a short and very swollen bill, a white rump, 

 and deep black wings and tail. The sexes differ considerably 

 from each other. Three of the Indian species of Bullfinches have 

 the tail deeply forked, but the fourth has it nearly square. 



The Bullfinches inhabit well-wooded districts arid are strictly 

 arboreal. They sing well and are easily kept in captivity. They 

 make cup-shaped nests in trees, and lay blue eggs spotted with 

 various shades of brown. Hardly anything, however, is known of 

 the nidification of the Indian species. 



Key to tlie Species. 



a. Middle pair of tail-feathers nearly as long 



as outermost pair P. aurantiaca, p. 204. 



b. Middle pair of tail-feathers fully half an 



inch shorter than outermost pair. 

 '. A well-defined deep black band round 



base of bill. 

 a". Crown varying from greenish yellow 



to vermilion P. erythrocephala, p. 205. 



b" . Crown ashy grey P. erithacus, p. 206. 



b'. An ill-defined brown band round base 



of bill P. nepalensis, p. 206. 



745. Pyrrhula aurantiaca. The Orange Bullfinch. 



Pyrrhula aurantiaca, Gould, P. Z. 8. 1857, p. 222 ; Jerd. B. I. ii, 

 p. 390 ; Hume # Henders. Lah. to Yark. p. 258 ; Hume, N. $ E. 

 p. 470 ; id. Cat. no. 732 ; Biddulph, Ibis, 1881, p. 82 ; Scully, Ibis, 

 1881, p. 577 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii, p. 455; Oates in Humes 

 N. $ E. 2nd ed. ii, p. 151. 



Coloration. Male. A broad black band round the base of the 

 bill ; rump, under tail-coverts, axillaries, and under wing-coverts 

 white ; upper tail-coverts, tail, and quills of wing black ; lesser and 

 median wing-coverts dusky edged with orange-rufous, the latter sub- 

 terminally ashy ; greater series black, broadly tipped with orange- 

 rufous ; the other parts of the body deep orange. 



Female. A broad black band round the base of the bill exactly 

 as in the male ; crown, nape, hind neck, and sides of the head ashy 

 brown ; back and scapulars yellowish brown ; rump white ; upper 

 tail-coverts and tail black ; lesser and median coverts like the 

 back but with subterminal ashy bars ; greater coverts black, with 

 broad tips of the colour of the back but paler ; throat and breast 

 pale rufous ; abdomen dull yellowish ; under wing-coverts and 

 axillaries white. 



Young males have the sides of the head and the whole lower 

 plumage bright yellow and the upper plumage more or less yellow. 



Bill black ; feet fleshy ; iris dark brown (Jerdon). 



Length about 5-5 ; tail 2-4 ; wing 3'2 ; tarsus -65 ; bill from 

 gape '45. 



