fringillinjE. 385 



Bill yellow ; legs fleshy. Length 9 inches ; wing 5£ ; tail nearly 

 4 ; bill at front 1. The female is a little smaller. 



This handsome Grosbeak has only been found in the N. W. 

 Himalayas, extending into part of Nepal, but it is unknown 

 further East. Hutton says that it is only found in the interior 

 of the hills. Adams states that it haunts the Pine-forests of 

 Cashmere in small flocks, and that its call-note is loud and 

 plaintive. 



726. Hesperiphona affinis, Blyth. 



J. A. S. XXIV. p. 179. 



The Allied Grosbeak. 



Descr. — Very nearly allied to the last species. Differs in the 

 male having the black portion of its plumage deep and shining 

 instead of dull ashy, black ; the black of the head extends 

 somewhat lower down, and the interscapulars and axillaries 

 are also black, and the tibial feathers are yellow, whilst in 

 icterioides, the reverse is the case. The female differs more, 

 having the upper parts olive-green, tinged with yellowish on the 

 collar and rump, and more brightly so on the lower plumage ; 

 wings and tail black ; the coverts, secondaries, and tertiaries 

 broadly margined externally with yellow green ; the crown and ear- 

 coverts ashy, passing into pale grey on the chin and throat. 



Bill bluish in winter, yellow in summer ; feet fleshy yellow. 

 Length not quite 9 inches ; wing 4f ; tail 3J. 



This is a somewhat smaller species than the last, with a slightly 

 smaller bill ; the males resemble each other very closely, but the 

 females are very distinct. It has only hitherto been sent from 

 the extreme North-west, viz., the Alpine Punjab. 



One or two species of this genus, found in North America, 

 are said by Bonaparte to differ in their somewhat longer wings. 



Gen. Mycerobas, Caban. 



Syn. Strobilophaga, Hodgson. 



Char. — Bill enormous, very thick, as deep as long, very nearly 

 conic ; the upper mandible compressed, and slightly bent over, 

 with a sort of tooth at its base ; commissure sinuate ; wings rather 



3 c 



