( 494 ) 



These young birds have also the head olive-grey instead of blackish brown. 

 The sexes of the adult bird do not differ, except in size. 

 1 <? ad., Cambul (Benguella), 21. viii. 04. (No. 725.) 

 1 ? ad., Chissamba (Bihe), Angola, 21. xi. 04. (No. 747.) 



1 ? ad., Chiynka (Bihe), Angola, 25. xi. 04. (No. + 774.) 



2 t?S ad., ( lasBOC, Benguella, 25. viii. 04. (Nos. 797, 798.) 

 Wings 6 ad. 86—88 ; ? ad. 82-5—84 mm. 



28. Ploceus sanctithomae (Hartl.). 

 Sycobius sanctithomae Hartlaub, Rev. Zool. 1848. p. 109 (Island of St. Thomas). 



This species is confined to the island of St. Thomas, on the west coast of 

 Africa. It is a good example to show the value of the genera of African 

 Weavers, as they are now in vogue. Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xiii. p. 418., 

 placed it in the genus I/efe/y/j/tantes, Shelley in 1**7 in Ploceus, while recently 

 Reichenow and Shelley placed it in the genus " Skarpia." It seems to me that 

 there is no more reason for uniting it in the same genus with " Skarpia " 

 angolensis, than for placing it with the Heterypkantes. Its colour-pattern differs 

 from that of P. angolensis, and it has a most peculiar musky smell not observed 

 in P. angolensis : it therefore requires only " furor genericns " in a very mild form 

 to make a new genus for it, but as I do not see that science can be benefited 

 by this, I prefer to unite it with the other forms in Ploceus. We have a very 

 good series collected by M. Moc(|nerys at Ro<;a Laura and Pedroma on St. Thomas. 



The females differ conspicuously from the males, as described by Shelley, 

 Reichenow, and others. 



29. Ploceus emini (Hartl.). 



Sycobrotua emini Hartlaub, Orn. Centralb. 1882. p. 92 ; Journ. f. Orn. 1882. p. 322 (Agaru). 

 Sycobrottu ;<i/iliir<>i Grant, Bull B. 0. Club. xiii. p. 22 (1902— Abn Beker in Harar). 



6 ad., Agaru, 30. iv. 1881. "No. 101. Long. tot. 170, caud. 61, tars. 21, 

 rostr. a f route 17, al. 82 mm. Iride margaritacea ; rostro nigro; pedibus rubellis." 

 Emin Pasha coll. Type of S. emini ! 



?, Agaru, 1. v. 1881. (No. 108.) Emin Pasha coll. "Long. tot. 170 mm., 

 rostr. a fronte 17, al. 78, caud. 53, tars. 19. Iride stramiuea, rostro nigro, pedibus 

 rubellis." 



$ " in.mut.," Bnguera, 22. iii. 1889. (No. 133.) Emin Pasha coll. 



$ " hieme," Buguera, 20. iii. 1889. (No. 123.) Emin Pasha coll. 



$ ad., Masindi (Unyoro), 9. vi. 1897. (No. 126.) W. J. Ansorge coll. 



& juv., Masindi (Unyoro), 21. iv. 1897. (No. 50.) W. J. Ansorge coll. 



c? juv., Sheik Mahomet, Arusi-Galla-land, 9. xi. 1894. Dr. Donaldson Smith 

 coll. 



$ ? ad., Chaukori, near Harar, alt. 1800 m., 9. vi. 02. Zapphiro coll. 



3 ad., Arluc des Adieus, near Harar, 21. vi. 02. Zapphiro coll. 



? ad., Abu Hakim, near Harar, 10. vi. 02. Zapphiro coll. 



? ad., Sotie, near Harar, 16. vi. 02. Zapphiro coll. (with eggs). 



? , " Klonmbi " (?), " alt. 8800 ft.," 6. xii. 01. Zapphiro coll. 



Eggs are sent in three varieties : White with a faint reddish bnff tinge, or 

 cream-colour with brownish red patches and spots and some deeper-lying pale 



