W. T. Blanford — On Birds from Sikkim. 
169 
1872.] 
maculis ad ext remit ates externas tectricum et 3 pennarim ultimtmm al- 
bescentibus, uropygio ochraceo-tincto, gastro fulvo, fusco striato, ahdomine, 
pallidiore et magis rufescente. Long alee 3'15, caudce 2 - 5, tarsi 095, rostri a 
fronts 047, a rictu 0.5 unc. 
Male with a general brownish tint above, richly glossed with crimson, 
lores, forohead, supercilia and cheeks pale silvery pink, the bases of the fea- 
thers brown, head above dark crimson with blackish centres to the feathers, 
ear coverts and sides of the neck duller crimson, the centres of the feathers 
broader and less distinct, back with broad dashes of dark earthy brown, the 
edges of the feathers pale with a gloss of deep rose colour, approaching crim- 
son, rump and upper tail coverts nearly the same colour as the back, the 
dark centres of the feathers being less marked, and the paler margins with 
their crimson gloss broader. Wing and tail feathers earthy brown with red 
brown exterior margins, and pale rosy spots on the tips of the outer webs ot 
the wing coverts and of the last three quills. Chin greyish, throat full rose 
colour, darker than the cheeks, with a silvery gloss. The breast is deeper 
and darker red, the feathers having pale rosy edges and narrow dark central 
stripes, abdomen pink, also with narrow streaks ; under tail coverts brown, 
edged with pink ; thighs and flanks brown, slightly tinged here and there 
with pihk. Bill dusky, legs brown. 
The female is earthy brown, the feathers of the upper parts with pale 
margins, and the wing coverts and last three quills (tertiaries) with albes- 
cent tips to the outer webs, supercilia isabelline, rump with an ochraceous 
tinge. Under parts fulvous, all the feathers with dark centres, broader on 
the breast, narrower on the abdomen, which has a rufescent tinge. 
Another bird, apparently a young male is much more ochraceous than 
the female in colouring, especially on the under parts, sides of neck and head ; 
the margins of the quills and tail feathers are olivaceous.* 
This beautiful rose finch is evidently the species of which a female exists 
in the Asiatic Society’s Museum, labelled P. thura by Mr. Blytli, and to which 
that gentleman refers in the “ Ibis” in the two instances cited above. It is 
altogether of a richer and darker colour than any of the other Himalayan 
species with which I am acquainted, via., P- rhodopeplus, thura, rhodochla- 
mys and rhodochrous, and easily distinguished from all at once by the absence 
of the rosy rump. P. pulcherrimus is said to be near rhodochrous , which 
differs perhaps more from the present species than any of the others, it too 
* Another pair of this bird since received from Mr. Mandelli confirms the above 
description, except that the throat of the male is the same colour as the cheeks, in. 
stead of being rather deeper red; they measure (in inches) — 
wing 
tail 
tarsus 
bill from forehead. 
Male, 
315 
25 
092 
0-48 
Female, 
305 
2-15 
0-95 
0'49 
