FURTHER NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF GILGIT. 278 
marked in all species, and a different classification must some 
day be found necessary. Under the circumstances I would 
suggest the name of Propasser blythi for this species. 
In the Rose Finch group there is extremely little variation 
between individuals of a species; but written descriptions of 
the three species, P. thura, P. blythi, and P. rhodopeplus, are 
necessarily so similar that, without comparison, a collector 
must find it difficult to discriminate any single one of the 
three. Some guidance appears to be furnished by the wing- 
measurements of the males, which are as follows :—JP. blythi, 
3°25 to 3:4 inches; P. thura, 3:15 to 3:3; P. rhodopeplus, 3 
to 3:1. The feet and tarsi of P. blythi are also more 
slender than in the other two species. Still greater difficulty 
exists in discriminating the females; nor are their measure- 
ments so sure a guide as in the males, by reason of males 
of the first year being classed as females when not sexed by 
dissection. 
169.—Metoponia pusilla, Pallas. (751.) 
I procured a number of specimens from the Shandur pla- 
teau between Yassin and Chitral. Having now a large 
number of immature specimens, I see that my former assum p- 
tion of the adoption of the red feathers in the poll during the 
first year was incorrect. The black breast and golden mark- 
ings to the wing-coverts are assumed in the first year during 
the autumn ; but the red head is not complete till after the 
first breeding season. I have a specimen shot on the 7th June 
which barely shows any trace of red on the head, though 
in other respects the adult plumage is complete. 
170.-—Linaria brevirostris, Gould. (751 bis.) 
As before mentioned (/bis, 1881, pp. 86, 578), I did not 
meet with this Linnet anywhere in the district during 1876 
1877, 1878, and the first eight months of 1879. It suddenly 
appeared in the autumn of. the last-mentioned year, when 
Dr. Scully procureda large number of specimens. I subse- 
quently procured adult examples in Gilgit in June and 
September, and my collector brought “back twenty-two 
specimens from the Shandur plateau in August. 
171.—Linaria cannabina, Lin. (751 fer.) 
Both our Gilgit Linnets appear to be capricious and un- 
certain in their movements. During the four winters through 
which birds were collected by Dr. Scully and myself this 
species was only seen in the winters of 1877-78 and 1879-80, 
but was not seen during the winters of 1878-79 or 1880-81. 
