1872.] W. T. Bl&nford— Zoology of Sikkim. 65 



Central tail feathers in both sexes about half inch short of the outer ones. 

 P. nipalensis, Hodgs. — One specimen obtained on the Lachen valley 

 at about 10,000 feet. Like the last it did not appear to be of frequent 

 occurrence. Neither Captain Elwes nor I obtained the rare P. erythaca, Blyth. 

 733 Pyeehoplectes epauletta, Hodgs. — A male was shot by Captain 

 Elwes at about 11,000 feet on the Chola range. No specimens were obtained 

 in Northern Sikkim, nor was this bud seen there. 



Carpadacus. A female or young male shot near Lachung differs both in 

 coloration and structure from the female of G. erythrinus. The bill is 

 longer and more pyrrhuline, the colour is uniformly hair brown above, darker 

 than in G. erythrinus, and with no dark centres to the feathers, nor pale tips 

 to the wing coverts, the rump alone having an olivaceous tinge. Beneath 

 it is white, sullied on the throat, breast and flanks ; darkest and with faint 

 brown mesial streaks to the feathers on the breast. Wing 32, tail 2'2, 

 tarsus 072, bill from forehead 0-45 inch. 



About Chungtam and Latong at the end of September I found flocks 

 of rose-finches which at the time I took for G. erythrinus in summer plum- 

 age. I only preserved a male, but this also appears to have a larger bill than 

 the common Indian rose-finch. I find another male specimen in the Indian 

 Museum from Leh in Western Tibet, apparently of the same race. It is 

 highly probable that these birds are the males of the above species. 



It is doubtless also to this form that Bonaparte alludes (Consp. G-en, 

 Av. I, p. 534,) under the head of Garpodacus erythrinus, when he says 

 " Specimina ex KamschatJca a el. Kittlitzo allata in Mus. Ilaguntits vidimus, 

 ' rostro latiore, magis incurvo ; rubro colore vividiore, nee roseo, nee coccineo, • 

 ' tergo magis rubente." 



740 Peopassee thtjea, Bon. P. frontalis, Blyth. — This beautiful rose 

 finch is common on the Chola range above 12,000 feet, keeping mostly to 

 the rhododendron bushes, but sometimes seen on grassy hill sides. It was 

 rare in Northern Sikkim. The birds at the time of our visit were single or in 

 pans, and were probably breeding ; but I saw no young ones. It was 

 doubtless later in the year that they were found in flocks on mount Tonglu 

 by Captain Beavan, at a lower elevation than any were seen by us. (Ibis, 

 1868 p. 177). 



The following are the dimensions of P. thura taken from freshly killed 

 specimens : — 



Length. Wing. Tail. Tarsus. Bill from forehead. 



Male, 6-5 325 3" 1 0'48 



Female, 65 32 275 098 0.46 



Since returning from Darjiling I have received from Mr. Mandelli an 

 undescribed species of the genus, obtained on the Singalela range. This I 

 have called P. saturatus. 

 9 



