NOVELTIES." 327 



abdomen of the same tint. The upper parts much tinged with 

 rosy, and the coverts conspicuously tipped with rosy ; whereas in 

 the present species the eye-streak, chin and throat are crimson, 

 contrasting strongly with the very pale rose color of the rest of the 

 lower parts. There is no tinge of rufous whatsoever on the back 

 of the present species, and no rosy tippings to the coverts ; then 

 the female of rhodopeplus is rufescent, much as in rliodo- 

 chroits, whereas in the present species she is just the same 

 color above and below as the female of rlwdoclilamys. 



Then as to pulcherrimus, this has the forehead, superciliary 

 streak, cheeks, throat and upper parts, with the rump, silvery 

 crimson, being almost silvery white about the head, whereas 

 in the present species the superciliary streak, cheeks, and 

 throat are a bright crimson, not a bit silvery, but indeed 

 much the same color as the chin and throat of Carpodacus 

 erythrinus. 



The bill is that of a true Propasser, and does not accord 

 with that of the sub-group, to which githagineus, sinaitieus, 

 obsolelus and sanguineus, belong, with none of which moreover 

 does it agree in coloration. 



There remains Davidianus, M. Edward, N. Arch : du Mus : 

 i. t. 23, and mongolians, Swinh., P. Z. S., 1870, p. 447. The 

 former work is not accessible to me. The latter is clearly dis- 

 tinct, and I quote the original description, as the bird is likely 

 to occur within our limits. 



" Male. — Upper parts sandy grey, browner on the crown and 

 back ; feathers of the crown, back, and scapulars with brown 

 centres ; wing feathers blackish brown ; greater coverts broadly 

 margined with rose color ; the primary quills more narrowly 

 and tipped with creamy white ; the brown of each feather 

 paling near the white ; secondaries broadly margined with 

 cream, and tipped similar to the primaries ; tail deep brown, 

 whitish on edges of inner webs, and broadly edged on outer 

 with cream color ; sides of neck, throat, breast and flanks 

 light sandy brown ; rest of under parts cream white ; rose tinges 

 the sides of the head, forehead, throat, cheeks, breast, flanks, 

 and rump, brightest on the last. 



" Length about 5 "3 ; wing, 3*63 ; first quill, '05, the longest ; 

 tail, 2 '3, forked; centrals, *3, shorter than outermost; upper 

 tail-coverts extend to *65 from the tip of the tail ; bill, *34 in 

 length, -2 in breadth, "29 in depth ; tarsi, *66 ; middle toe, '52 ; 

 its claw, *24; hind toe, "28 ; its claw, 26." 



Unless, therefore, my birds should happen to be Davidianus, 

 which from the dimensions appears unlikely, they would seem 



