RHODOPECHYS SANGUINEA.
Crimson-winged Finch.

Fringilla sanguinea, Gould, P. Z. S. 1837, p. 127.

Lrythrospiza phenicoptera, Bp. Consp. Gen. Av. i. p. 535 (1850).—Bp. & Schl. Monogr. Loxiens, pt. 2, pls. 30, 31.
Fringilla rhodoptera, Licht. Mus. Lugd. fide Bp. ut supra (1850).

Carpodacus rhodopterus, Licht. Nomencl. Av. p. 48 (1854).

Rhodopechys phenicoptera, Bp. Cat. Parzud. p. 4 (1856).

Fringilla coccothraustes phenicoptera, Bree, B. of Eur. iii. ps 9a CUSG7)))

Jarpodacus phenicopterus (Bp.), Tristram, Ibis, 1868, p. 208.

Erythrospiza sanguinea, Dresser, Birds of Europe, pt. li. (1876)

 

As the colours of the wings and tail would indicate, this handsome Finch is an inhabitant of. the great

desert plains of Central Asia. It was first described by me as long ago as 1837, from a single specimen of

the male, which had been killed in Persia ; it has been figured in Bonaparte and Schlegel’s ‘ Loxiens,’ Bree’s
‘Birds of Europe,’ and other publications ; but by far the most voluminous account is that published by Mr.
Dresser in his work on the Birds of Kurope. Now, as I never have had the good fortune to see this fine
bird alive, although I had that of describing it, I trust I shall not be deteriorating from the fine works just
quoted if I make an extensive extract from tae book of Mr. Dresser, which I do with full acknowledgment.
He says :—‘* This rare and beautiful bird seems to be met with only in the south-eastern portion of the
region of the ornithology of which I am treating, being found in the Caucasus and Palestine, ranging east-
ward into Turkestan. It is, however, somewhat remarkable that Loche records its occurrence in Algeria,
and states that it is only met with in the northern portions of the province. He says that he has seen one
from the frontier of Tunis, obtained through Dr. Buvry, and another, in very bad condition, from near
Zaatcha. I may, however, here remark that none of the later travellers met with it in North-west Africa ;
and it seems possible that there may be some mistake as regards the true localities whence the specimens
recorded by Loche were obtained. It was first described by Gould (/. c.) from a specimen obtained at Er-
zeroom, and has since been met with by Canon Tristram and Mr. Cochrane on Mount Lebanon. The former
of these gentlemen writes (‘ Ibis,’ 1868, p- 208) as follows :—‘ On the north side of Hermon occurs also
Jarpodacus phenicopterus, Bp. It is not only local but very scarce, yet unquestionably sedentary, concealing
itself after the manner of our Bullfinch. We never could detect its nest, and very rarely caught a glimpse
of it. It does not appear to descend as low as the villages of Lebanon, excepting in winter.’ Von Heuglin
says that there is a specimen in the Mergentheim collection which is stated to have come from Arabia:
and Mr. Blanford informs me that he only once met with it on his last expedition to Persia. A flock was
sitting on some steep rocks by the side of the road in a high valley of the Elburz, and he had the good
fortune to bag three. Dr. Severtzoff, who met with it in Turkestan, says it is resident in that country, but
is rather sporadic in its distribution. Beyond the above data, I find no information on record respecting its
range; and, indeed, it appears to be nowhere common. Canon ‘Tristram, who was fortunate enough to
see this bird alive, gives me the following note :—‘I never met with Lrythrospiza sanguinea but twice in
the Lebanon. On the first occasion I had a good view of a brilliantly plumaged male (I presumed),
towards the end of May. It was flitting restlessly from tree to tree in an open space on the mountain-
side, where the trees were sparse and isolated. There being no cover, I was unable to secure it. A few
days afterwards I shot a specimen among scrub and dwarf cedars, a female, but saw no others with it.
There were many Lméeriza cia, with whom it was on social terms. Mr. Cochrane shot a bird from the
nest the same week, and brought the nest to camp, containing one egg. He kindly gave me the bird shot
from the nest, which I have in my collection. He told me that he found the nest in atree. My impression
is that the nest was an ordinary Finch-nest, of the character of that of the Greenfinch. The bird appears
to affect the open spaces with scrub and a tree here and there, and to avoid the thickest forest. The egg
above referred to by Canon Tristram is in my collection, and is, I believe, the only authentic specimen known ;
I received it from Mr. Cochrane, who informs me that he found the nest, which contained but one egg, near
the celebrated grove of cedars on Lebanon, on the 24th May 1864, and he succeeded in shooting the parent
bird, which he gave to Canon Tristram. Unfortunately he did not keep the nest, and has supplied me with

C

no further data respecting its structure or, indeed, respecting the nidification of this rare bird. The egg

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