FRINGILLINiE. 411 



The female, or perhaps the young only, lias the forehead 

 narrowly reddish, wants the black of the head and throat, and is 

 altogether less brightly colored. 



Bill and feet dark. Length 4f to 5 inches ; wing 3 ; 

 tail 21 



The Gold-headed Finch has been found occasionally in the 

 N. W. Himalayas, not, it appears, as a regular visitor, for Hutton 

 says, he " observed this bird in 1854-5, at Mussooree, after an 

 interval of many years. It appeared to be always in pairs, and, 

 like our Siskin and Gold-finch, is very fond of alighting upon 

 the tall coarse nettles which abound there." It was found by 

 Speke in Spiti and Ladakh, in summer ; and in Affghanistan 

 by Griffith, who observed it iC in flocks about cultivation, rather 

 shy ; feeds on thistles on which they cling." Adams found it very 

 common in Ladakh, in flocks, with the habits and call note like 

 those of the European Kedpole. According to Pallas it is common 

 on the Caucasus, and near the Caspian Sea ; and it occurs in 

 Eastern Europe. Pallas' figure is unrecognisable. 



Next should come the Linnets and Canary birds. The former 

 comprise a number of small Finches with slender conical bills, 

 which, during the breeding season, acquire more or less a red 

 color on the head and breast, and thus evince an affinity for the 

 Eose-finches. One species, Linota brevirostris, Gould, P. Z. S. 

 1855, has been found in Ladakh, and may occur within our 

 limits. 



The Canary birds, Serinus, with somewhat thick bills, are chiefly 

 from Africa, and the neighbouring islands ; and the Lutinos (as 

 Blyth calls them) of S. canaria, are the well known song birds. 

 The Canary bird, as is well known, will inter-breed both with the 

 Gold-finch and Siskin. Some other African Finches are placed 

 in the o-enera Alario, Auripasser, Citrinella and Buserinus. 

 Crithagra, a South American group, with somewhat thick bills, 

 and more or less yellow plumage, ought also to be placed along 

 with the Serins. 



The true Finches are chiefly Northern birds, two species occur- 

 ring in the most Northern portion of our province, belonging to 

 different o-enera. 



