99 



7477. Pyrrhula europcea, Vieill., the type of the genus, is our common European Bullfinch, and inhabits 

 Western and Central Europe. Full particulars respecting this species are given in the present work. 

 I may here remark that Pyrrhula rubicilla, Pall. (Zoogr. Rosso- As. ii. p. 7), is certainly not referable 

 to the present species, and it is very doubtful if it is referable to Pyrrhula major, Brehm. Pallas 

 certainly gives Loxia pyrrhula, Linn., as a synonym; but he evidently had not our European bird 

 before him, though he appears to have had specimens of Pyrrhula cineracea, Cab., which he looked on as 

 being females of the common European bird ; for in a note he writes as follows : — " Fcemina? in Siberia 

 ssepius totse plumbeo-canescentis, subtus dilutions sunt coloris, uropygio tamen niveo, vertice cserule- 

 scenti-aterrimo. Vulgo autem ibidem sunt vinacei subtus coloris, fere palumbi ut in Russia et Europa 

 reliqua." 



7478. Pyrrhula erythrocephala, Vig. (P. Z. S. 1830, p. 174). This is a somewhat smaller bird than Pyrrhula 

 europcea, has the head dull crimson (continued round the sides of the neck), forehead and feathers round 

 the base of the bill black ; upper parts dull reddish ashy ; rump white ; wings and tail glossy black ; 

 underparts dull red, tinged with orange, becoming pale greyish fawn on the abdomen, and white on the 

 under tail-coverts. "Wings 3'0, tail 2'45, tarsus - 62. The female has the head and neck dull greenish 

 yellow, the back browner than in the male, and the underparts pale dull brown with an orange tinge. 

 It inhabits the Himalayas, being commoner in the north-west than in the south-west. It is figured by 

 Gould (Cent. Himal. B. pi. 32. and B. of Asia, pt. v. pi. 14). 



7479. Pyrrhula aurantiaca, Gould (P. Z. S. 1857, p. 222). This very distinct and well-marked species is 

 accurately figured by Gould (B. of Asia, part x.). I have not had an opportunity of examining a 

 specimen of this rare Bullfinch, the male of which is recognizable in having the entire plumage 

 reddish orange, except the face, wings, and tail, which are deep purplish black. The female has the 

 back ashy, tinged with orange-red, and the underparts duller than in the male. Mr. Gould (I. c.) gives 

 the measurements as follows — Total length 5-J- inches, wing 3|, tail 2f , tarsus f-. It has hitherto only 

 been found in Cashmere. 



7480. Pyrrhula nipalensis, Hodgs. (As. Res. xix. p. 155, 1836), has some affinity with P. cineracea and 

 P. murina, as the sexes differ but very slightly. The male is cinereous brown above, and similarly 

 coloured but rather paler below, the under tail-coverts white ; crown marked with blackish brown ; 

 upper tail-coverts black, tipped with white ; outer web of innermost secondary crimson ; a band round 

 the base of the bill black ; wings and tail glossy purplish black, the former crossed by a pale greyish 

 brown band. The female has the outer web of the innermost secondary saffron-yellow, and not red. 

 Wing (in a male in Captain Elwes's collection) 3 - 3 inches, tail 31 (and much forked), tarsus - 7. It 

 inhabits the South-east Himalayas, Nepal, and Sikkim. It is figured by Gould (B. of Asia, part v.). 



7481. Pyrrhula major, Brehm. Pull particulars of this species are given above. I may, however, add that 

 the name P. coccinea, by which it has very generally been known, cannot stand, and must give place 

 to P. major of Brehm. De Selys's name seems to be taken from Emberiza coccinea, Gmel. ex Sander 

 (Syst. Nat. i. p. 873, 1788). Fortunately I possess the ' Naturforscher ' where (xiii. p. 199, 1779) 

 Sander describes that species ; but he gives it no name, and certainly nothing can be made out of his 

 description, which was taken from a caged bird ; and this, though said to have been caught in Germany, 

 may have been some foreign bird. 



7482. Pyrrhula griseiventris , Lafresnaye (Rev. Zool. 1841, p. 241). The male of this species differs from 

 Pyrrhula europcea in having only the throat red, this colour being pinker and not so brick-like in tinge 

 as in the common Bullfinch, — the rest of the underparts being dull ashy grey, tinged with pinky 

 vinous in summer. It also lacks the red colour on the innermost secondary that is always found in 

 our European bird. The female resembles the female of P. europcea. A male from Hakodadi, in 

 Mr. Swinhoe's collection, measures — wing 3 - 25, tail 2"6, tarsus 0"68. It inhabits Japan, and is figured 

 in the ' Fauna Japonica ' (pi. 53) under the name of Pyrrhula orientalis. 



n2 



