ERYTHROSPIZA 32 



resembled that of a Greenfinch, and the egg, which is now in 

 my collection, is white with a faint greyish sea-green tinge, 

 very minutely dotted, chiefly at the larger end, with grey, and 

 measures O87 by 0'60. 



481. DESERT BULLFINCH. 

 ERYTHROSPIZA GITHAGIHEA. 



Erythrospiza gitlmginea (Liclit.). Verg. Doubl. p. 24 (1823), Gould, B. of 

 E. iii. pi. 208 ; Dresser, iv. p. 85, pi. 196 ; Shelley, B. of Egypt, 

 p. 155, pi. v. ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Br. Mus. xii. p. 284 ; Gates, F. Brit. 

 Ind. Birds, ii. p. 221. 



Trombeltiere, Ital. ; Pispo, Gorrion Colorado, Pajaro moro in the 

 Canaries. 



<$ ad. (Canaries). Crown and sides of the head delicate ash-grey, on 

 the nape merging into brown ; back and scapulars pale brown, tinged 

 with pink ; rump and upper tail-coverts brownish pink, the latter mar- 

 gined with carmine ; wings dark brown, the feathers externally margined 

 with pink and carmine, the inner quills tipped with light brown ; rec- 

 trices dark brown, margined with carmine towards the tip ; under parts 

 pinkish grey, the throat, breast, and abdomen feathers slightly tipped 

 with carmine ; flanks buffy grey ; beak bright red ; iris brown ; legs 

 brownish fleshy. Culmen 0'4, wing 3'4, tail 2'15, tarsus 0'7 inch. Female 

 differs from the male in being duller, and less rosy in tint. In the winter 

 the beak is yellow, the upper mandible tinged with brown. 



Hob. The Canaries, rare in Southern Europe, but tolerably 

 common in N. Africa ; Palestine, Persia, Afghanistan, Baluchi- 

 stan, Sind, Rajputana, and the Gurgaon district in the Punjab. 



Frequents desert, sterile, stony localities and is a resident 

 almost throughout its range, collecting in winter in flocks and 

 visiting fields in search of its food, which consists chiefly of 

 seeds of various plants. In its general habits it is tame and 

 confiding, not being subject to persecution. Its note resembles 

 the sound of a small penny trumpet, is sometimes loud and 

 clear, at others prolonged and harsh, and it also utters a harsh 

 ka, ka, Jed, and a cackling call-note kek-kck, kek-keheck, and its 

 alarm note is a loud scliak, schak. 



It breeds late in February or early in March, and the nest r 

 which is constructed of fine roots and grass-bents, occasionally 

 lined with hair or feathers, is placed on the ground or in the 

 cleft of a rock. The eggs, 4 to 5 in number, are pale bluish 

 white, paler than those of Pyrrhula europcea, sparingly dotted, 

 chiefly at the larger end, with dull red and blackish brown, and 

 measure about O79 by 0*56. 



