60 U.S. NATIONAL MUSEUM BULLETIN 223 



To simplify reference to the following taxonomic discussion, T shall 

 list the names proposed for combassous with a brief statement of 

 their disposition:^* 



aenea: a synonym of chalybeata 

 amauropteryx: a valid species 

 earner unensis: a synonym of nigeriae 

 centralis: a synonym of orientalis 

 chalybeata: a valid species 

 codringtoni: a race of chalybeata 

 fu7ierea: a valid species 

 ignestii: a synonym of nigeriae 

 neumanni: a race of chalybeata 

 nigeriae: a race of amauropteryx 

 nigerrima: a race of funerea 

 nitens: a synonym of chalybeata 

 orientalis: a race of chalybeata 

 purpurascens: a synonym of nigerrima 

 sharii: a synonym of nigeriae 

 ultramarina: a race of chalybeata 

 wilsoni: a race of funerea 



On the whole, the arrangement arrived at and outlined below is 

 very similar to Delacour's (1951, p. 124). The species recognized 

 are Vidua amauropteryx, V. chalybeata, and V. funerea, with their 

 included races. 



Vidua amauropteryx has two races — amauropteryx and nigeriae. 

 To the race nigeriae are relegated a number of names as synonyms — 

 camerunensis, ignestii, and sharii. I have seen no material (apart from 

 the description) of ignestii, and follow recent authors in placing this 



«9 Hypochaera amauropteryx Sliarpe, Catalogue of the birds In the British Museum, vol. 13, 1S90, p. 309 

 (Rustenburg). 



Hypochera aenea Hartlaub, Joum. Omith., vol. 2, 1854, p. 115 (Senegambla). 



Hypochern chalybeata camerunensis Grote, Joum. Omith., vol. 70, 1922, p. 398 (between Nola and Mbaiki, 

 southeast Cameroons). 



Hypochera chalybeata centralis R. Neunzig, Zool. Anz., vol. 78, 1928, p. 113 (Kissenjl, Ruanda). 



Fringilla chalybeata P. L. S. Miiller, Des Ritters Carl von Ltnnfi . . . voUsttodiges Natursystem . . . 

 Supplement, 1776, p. 106 (Senegal). 



Hypochera codringtoni Neave, Mem. Manchester Lit. Phil. Soc. , vol. 51, 1907 (MolUo's, Loangwa Valley, 

 northeast Rhodesia). 



Fringilla funerea de Tarragon, Rev. Zool., 1847, p. 180 (Natal). 



Hypochera ignestii Moltoni, Atti Soc. Italiana Scl. Nat., vol. 64, 1925, p. 46 (Dintomidi Gondor, Abisslnia). 



Hypochera neumanni Alexander, BuU. British Omith. Club, vol. 23, 1908, p. 33 (Yo, near Lake Chad). 



Hypochera nigeriae Alexander, Bull. British Oraith. Club, vol. 23, 1908, p. 33 (Kiri, Gongola River, 

 northern Nigeria). 



Hypochaera nigerrima Sharpe, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1871, p. 133 (Angola). 



Fringilla nitens Omelin, Caroli a Linnfi . , . systema naturae, ed. 13, vol. 2, 1789, p. 909 (based on 

 Latham, in Brasilia = Senegal). 



Hypochera ultramarina var. orientalis Reichenow, Die V8gel, in Deutsch-Ost-Afrikas, vol. 3, 1894, p. 188 

 (Pare Mountains, northeastern Tanganyika). 



Hypochera purpurascens Reichenow, Joum. Omith., vol. 31, 1883, p. 221 (Usequa, I.e., Usegua, Tangan- 

 yika). 



Hypochera chalybeata sharii Bannerman, Bull. British, Ornith. Club, vol. 43, 1922, p. 29 (Ratu, Gribingui 

 River, French Equatorial Africa). 



Hypochera ultramarina Omelin, Caroli a Linnfi. . . systema naturae, ed. 13, vol. 2, 17S9, p. 927 (Abyssinia.) 



Hypochera funerea wilsoni Hartert, Nov. Zool., vol. 8, 1901, p. 342 (Yelwa, Middle Niger). 



