THE BIRDS OF QILGIT. 349 



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 16th, 17th, 

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



165.— Propasser rhodochlamys, Brandt. (741). 



Is a permanent resident, but is very seldom seen below 

 6,000 feet. The measurements of the numerous specimens 

 obtained correspond exsictly with those given by Jerdon, and 

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

 with the plate of Carpodacus sophios in Bonaparte's rt Mono- 

 graphic 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, Bly. (?). 



[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 Bly th'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, 

 though more narrowly than, those of the back ; the feathers 

 of the chin, throat, and neck are not silvery-white-s/ia/W, 

 but have a silvery streak near the tip of each feather ; and 

 this silvery streaking hardly extends on to the breast. It 



* [I do not admit that I was premature. Blyth described the species, and I 

 expunged it on his authority. He had previously written to the same effect to Jerdon 

 vide p. 874, Appendix to Jerdon's Birds of India. Of course Blyth may have erred 

 in this, but I submit I had full warrant for expunging the species. It is impossible 

 to say positively what the apeeiea ia that ia referred to in the text.— A. O. H.] 



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