1R95. 



PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



539 



October 3: rilcum and liind neck deep olive-buff, narrowly and rather 

 indistinctly streaked with dusky; superciliary stripe, cheeks, and sides 

 of neck ligiit brownish yellow^; apostocular streak of dusky; anterior 

 under parts pale aSTaples yellow (i)alest on throat), the posterior lower 

 parts deeper yellow. Otherwise like tlie adult male, but without trace 

 of red anywhere. '' Upper mandible horny brown, lower mandible pale 

 horny; feet flesh color." Length (before skinning), 5.50 inches; wing, 

 3.05; tail, 2.10; culmen, 0.70; depth of 1)111 at base, 0.50; tarsus, 0.85; 

 middle toe, O.GO. 



Two other adult males show a mixture of red on the back, and one 

 of them has the lower rump, as well as the upper tail-coverts, red. It 

 is therefore probable that in full plumage this species has the red as 

 extensive as in F. madagaNcariensi.s. 



A young male is like the female described above, but is snmcwhat 

 brighter yellow beneath. 



"A very common species in Aldabra. Nesting in Xovember, Decem- 

 ber, and January. Builds in casuai'ina trees, generally near the sea- 

 shore. Xest made of casuarina needles, somewhat loosely constructed, 

 oval in form, roofed over, with the entrance in the side and suspended 

 from the end of a branch. Number of eggs four. The male assists in 

 the construction of the nest, but not in incubation ( ?). These birds are 

 very fond of the seeds of the casuariiia tree and are also destructive to 

 unripe maize. They are, however, apparently only able to reach the 

 latter after the husks have been gnawed through by rats. Tliey are 

 very tame and familiar, coming in flocks to feed on the crumbs and 

 scraps about the houses." (Abbott, MS.) 



APPENDIX. 



A. — Catalogve of biros ascertained to occur amoxo the islands 



EAST OF MADAGASCAR, FROM THE COMOROS TO THE MASCARENE ( 

 [Extinct species iu heavy-faced type. Introduced species in paientlicses. Peculiar spc 



XOR 

 Ror 



ics in italics.] 



