322 CARPODACUS 



In general habits it somewhat resembles the Linnet, is often 

 seen in bushes and low trees near water, and in gardens, and 

 does not seem to seek its food on the ground. Its food consists 

 of the seeds of trees and bushes, less often those of plants, and 

 of tender buds. Its call-note is a clear whistle, and its song, 

 which is uttered from the top of a bush or tree, pleasing and 

 characteristic. The nest, which is placed on a low tree or 

 bush, is rather loosely constructed of dry bents and rootlets, 

 lined with a few horse hairs, and the eggs, 4 to 6 in number, 

 are deposited late in May and are rich blue, sparingly dotted at 

 the larger end with dark red and blackish brown, and measure 

 about 079 by 0'6. Specimens from Eastern Asia are as a rule 

 brighter in tinge of red, and have been separated subspecifically 

 under the name of C. grebnitskii, but I have specimens from the 

 Ural and Asia Minor which are as richly coloured as any from 

 Eastern Asia. 



471. SlNAITIC ROSE-FINCH. 

 CARPODACUS SINAITICUS. 



Carpodacus sinaiticus, Bp. and Schlegel, Monogr. Lox. p. 17, pi. 18 

 (1850) ; Dresser, iv. p. 73, pi. 194 ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xii. 

 p. 403. 



ad. (Sinai). Feathers at the base of the bill deep rosy carmine ; 

 fore-crown, sides of head and throat rose-carmine, the feathers pointed, and 

 glossed with silvery white ; central and hind-crown duller red tinged with 

 brownish grey ; back smoky brownish grey indistinctly darker striped and 

 washed with red ; rump rose-carmine ; wings and tail dull brown with 

 paler external margins, lesser wing-coverts tinged with red ; under parts 

 paler rose-carmine, the middle of the abdomen and under tail-coverts nearly 

 white ; bill light horn with a faint red tinge ; legs light brown ; iris dark 

 brown. Culmen 0'42, wing 3*5, tail 2 '72, tarsus 0'8 inch. The female is 

 greyish isabelline brown, darker above and striped with brown, and paler 

 on the under parts. 



Hob. Southern Palestine, Arabia-Petraea, and the peninsula 

 of Sinai. 



In its general habits it is lively but somewhat shy, frequenting 

 rocky localities on the sunny side of mountains, and is generally 

 to be seen on the ground, and not on bushes. It feeds on small 

 seeds. I do not find anything on record respecting its nidifica- 

 tion. 



