336 A CONTRIBUTION TO THE ORNITHOLOGY OF NEPAL. 



746. — Procarduelis nipalensis, Hodgs. 



Five males. — Length, 5'9 to 6*4 ; expanse, 10"3 to 11 ; wing, 

 3-4 to 3-7 ; tail, 2-5 to 2-8 ; tarsus, 0-85 to 0'9 ; bill from gape, 

 0-53 to 0-55 ; bill at front, 0*43 to 0'45 ; closed wings short of 

 tail, 0-9 to 1-25. 



Five females. — Length, 5'8 to 6-8 ; expanse, 9'7 to 10*2 ; 

 wing, 3-15 to 3-3 ; tail, 2-25 to 2-5 ; tarsus, 0-78 to 0-85 ; bill 

 from gape, 0-52 to 0-54; bill at front, 0'41 to 0*44 ; closed 

 wings short of tail, 0'85 to 1"15. 



Two immature males, in female plumage. — Length, 6*2 and 

 6"3; expanse, 10-4 and 10'6; wing, 3"3 and 3*4; tail, 2*5; 

 tarsus, 0"85 ; bill from gape, 0"52 and 0*53 ; bill at front, 0'43 

 and 0"45 ; closed wings short of tail, 0"95 and 1"1. 



Bill dusky, darker on culmen and greyish at base of lower 

 mandible ; irides dark brown ; feet fleshy brown ; the toes a 

 shade darker than the tarsi ; claws horny brown. 



The first primary is from O'03 to 0'12 shorter than the second; 

 the second, third and fourth primaries are subequal. The female 

 has the back strongly striated with black ; the minor and se- 

 condary coverts are margined on the outer webs with olivaceous 

 buff, forming two wing bands, and the tertiaries are margined 

 on the outer webs, near their tips with the same colour. Dr. 

 Jerdon's statement about the female of this species *'' from breast 

 to tail white'' must be a misprint ; the crissum only is albescent, 

 and the under tail-coverts are margined with sullied white or 

 fulvous. The young male exactly resembles the adult female. 



This fine Rose Finch is common on the hills round the valley 

 of Nepal, in winter only, at elevations of from 6,000 to 8,000 feet. 

 It is found in parties or flocks about bushes, and in cleared 

 spaces in the forests. It feeds on the ground, and is not at all 

 shy. I found that it would return again and again to perch on 

 the bare branches of a tree after being shot at. It was obtain- 

 ed in the upper part of the Chitlang Valley in December and 

 on Mount Sheopuri in January and February. 



750.— Hypacanthis spinoides, Vig. 



Twenty-six specimens, Fallen/. — Length, 5 to 5'6j expanse, 

 8-8 to 9-8 ; wing, 2-8 to 3-2 ; tail, 1-9 to 2-1 ; tarsus, O'S to 

 0-7 ; bill from gape, 0*46 to 0-54 ; bill at front, 0*4 to 05 ; 

 closed wings short of tail, 0*7 to 0'9. 



Bill fleshy, brownish on culmen and dusky at tip ; irides 

 light or dark brown : feet brownish fleshy ; claws dusky. 



This species is found in great numbers in the valley of 

 Nepal ; and, although it moves about a good deal, I think it 



