1844.] Synopsis of Indian Fringillidce. 957 



furnished by the beak alone, we should have to arrange various most in- 

 congruous species together, which in their affinities are much further re- 

 moved apart than are the Snowfleck and Alpine Snowfinch, with dissi- 

 milar beaks ; but it will not do, on the other hand, to disregard important 

 distinctions in the form of this part, even when the rest of the struc- 

 ture is in accordance, and hence it appears impossible to arrange into 

 intelligible minor groups the enormous series of the Loxice and Fringilla 

 of the old systematists, without recognising as many and as minute divi- 

 sions as have been adopted in this synopsis. I now pass to the genus. 



Emberiza. The Buntings : of which the Indian species are referred 

 to a group, Euspiza, by Mr. G. R. Gray, consisting of the more slender- 

 billed species generally ; but the limits of which, apart from restricted 

 Emberiza, I cannot at all recognise, and shall therefore retain them 

 under the latter title. 



- 1. E.Lathami, Gray, Zool. Misc., I, p. 2 ; E. cristata, Vigors, P. Z. S. 

 1831, p. 35; E.subcristata, Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 93, (the female) ; 

 E. erythroptera, Jardine and Selby, 77/. Orn., 1st series, pi. CXXXII ; 

 E. nipalensis, Hodgson, As. Res. XIX, 157 : type oi Melophus, Swain- 

 son. More elevated parts of India generally, but chiefly the Himalaya. 



2. E. melanocephala, Scop.; Fringilla crocea, Vieillot; Xanthornis 

 caucasicus, Pallas ; Emberiza granativora, Menitries ; Tanagra melanic- 

 tera, Guldenstadt. S. India. 



3. E. aureola, Pallas ; Fringilla pinetorum, Lepech. ; Emberiza sibi- 

 rica, Gm. :* Himalaya, Arracan. 



4. E. fucata, Pallas ; E. lesbia ; apud Tem., nee Gmelin ; E. cia, 

 apud Jerdon, vide J. A. S. XI, 601. Bengal, Indian peninsula. 



5. E. icterica, Eversm., apud G. R. Gray, who figures it as Euspiza 

 icterica. Central and western India. 



6. E. flavicollis ; Mirafra flavicollis, McClelland and Horsfield, P. 

 Z. S. 1839, p. 163, which species Mr. Strickland informs me pertains 

 to the present genus. Assam. 



7. E. Buchanani, Nobis ; Fringilla jamjohari, Buch. Hamilton's draw- 

 mage, of which," he adds, " I know no more striking instance than the Emberiza 

 palastris velpyrrhuloides (though I see, Gray makes these into two species), the beak 

 of which is wholly unlike that of an Emberiza, yet in all other respects the bird 

 almost exactly resembles E. schozniculus" 



* I have copied the synonyms of E. melanocephala and E. aureola from Mr. 

 G. R. Gray's work. 



6 M 



