73 



CAKPODACUS SINAITICUS. 



(SINAITIC ROSE FINCH.) 



Fringilla sinaitica, Licht. in litt. 



Pyrrhula synoica, Temm. PI. Col. 375. figs. 1, 2 (1825). 

 Pyrrhula sinaica (Temm.), Rupp. Neue Wirbelth. p. 101 (1835). 

 Carpodacus synoica (Temm.), Gray, Gen. of 13. ii. p. 384 (1844). 

 Carpodacus sinaiticus (Licht.), Bp. & Schl. Mon. Lox. p. 17 (1850). 

 Carpodacus sinaicus (Licht.), Bp. & Schl. op. cit. pi. 18 (1.850). 

 Erythrospiza sinaitica (Licht.), Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 534 (1850). 

 Bucanetes sinaiticus (Licht.), G. R. Gray, Hand-list, ii. p. 102 (1870). 



Figures notabiles. 

 Temminck, I. c. ; Bp. & Schl. I. c. 



cT ad. plumis ad basin rostri saturate rubro-roseis : fronte, capitis lateribus et gula rubro-roseis, plumis acumi- 

 natis et versus apicem albo argenteo nitentibus : pileo postico et dorso fusco-einereis rubro lavatis : 

 uropygio rubro-roseo : remigibus et reetricibus fuscis, pallide fusco-cinereo marginatis et vix roseo 

 limbatis : corpore subtus rubro-roseo, abdomine et subcaudabbus fere albis : rostro corneo vix roseo 

 tincto : iride fusca, : pedibus pallide brunneis. 



2 ad. pallide fusco-isabellina, supra saturatiore et fusco striata : subtus magis albescens. 



Adult Male (Rahah, Sinai). Feathers round tbe base of the bill deep rosy carmine; fore part of the crown, 

 sides of the head, and the entire throat rose-carmine, the feathers pointed, and on the terminal portions 

 glossed with silvery white, giving these portions of the plumage a silvery appearance in certain lights ; 

 central and hind crown rather duller red, and tinged with brownish grey ; back smoky brownish grey, 

 washed with red and indistinctly striped with darker brown; rump rose-carmine; wings and tail dull 

 brown, tbe feathers with lighter edges, tbe lesser wing-coverts washed with red ; underparts, except as 

 above stated, rather paler rose-carmine, becoming nearly white on the centre of the abdomen and under 

 tail-coverts ; bill light born with a faint red tinge ; bis dark brown ; legs light brown. Total length 

 about 5-5 inches, culmen 042, wing 3'5, tail 2'72, tarsus - 8. 



Adult Female (fide Bonap.) . Greyish isabebine brown, darker on tbe upper parts, and striped with rather 

 darker brown ; underparts whiter. 



This, one of the rarest of the Rose Finches, inhabits the Sinaitic peninsula and Arabia Petrsea, 

 and is only known as an occasional straggler within the limits of the Western Palsearctic Region. 

 Count von der Muhle, it is true, includes it as having been met with in Greece ; but his 

 description agrees far more closely with the Trumpeter Bullfinch, and in all probability the bird 

 obtained by him near Lamia is referable to that species. Canon Tristram states (Ibis, 18G8, 

 p. 208) that he saw it several times in the vicinity of the Dead Sea, in Palestine, but did not 



