2. PKENIA 193 



j'ellowish ; under wing-coverts and axillaries light tawny, lighter on 

 edge of wiug ; quills dusky below, rufescent along the inner wc1)s. 

 Total length 4"6 inches, culmen 0"5, wiug 2, tail 2-05, tarsus 0-8. 



The South-African bird is a little larger than the West- African. 

 The present species is scarcely separable from the Indian P. inornata ; 

 but has apparently a less uniform upper surface, the lower back and 

 rump being washed with reddish brown. 



Obs. There can, I think, be no doubt that P. affinis is only the 

 winter plumage of P. melanorliynclia. The black colour of the bill 

 of the latter is not specific, but gradually assumed. Thus specimens 

 killed in Damara Land in May begin to show the approach of a 

 black bill, while most of the other birds killed in that country have 

 a light reddish-brown bill. The species breeds in Natal, the speci- 

 mens obtained near Pinetown by Mr. T. L. Ayres being in worn 

 breeding-plumage, with the edges of the tail completely abraded. 

 Young birds collected by the same gentleman resemble the winter 

 plumage, but the males have black bills, the females brown. 



The greatest difference between the winter and summer plumage 

 of the birds seems to be in the rufous edgings to the wing-coverts ; 

 and at one time I thought that it would show that there were two 

 species, but I have since examined breeding birds with remains of 

 rufous margins on the feathers. The young birds have this rufous 

 largely developed on the wing, and, as in many other species, have 

 longer tails. The following are the measurements of a series from 

 South Africa : — 



Total 



length. Culmen. Wmg. Tail. Tarsus, 

 in. in. in. in. in. 



a. cJ ad. Pinetown (r.i.yly?w). . 4-7 0-5 1-9 2-4 0-85 

 ^. S -A^-Vmeto^^ {T.L. Ayres). . 4-7 Oo 1-95 2-4 0-85 

 y. (S ad. Ovaquenyama(^7irfe7'sson) 49 O'o 2"15 2"55 U"8 

 8. $ ad. Ovaquenyama(^nrferssc(«) 4-7 O'o 1'7 2-5 0-8 



e. $ ad. Pinetown {Ayres) 4-1 0-45 1-8 1-95 0-8 



f. 2 juv. Pinetown {Ayres) 4-5 0-6 1'75 2-25 0-75 



t}. ? juv. Pinetown (Ayres) 4-5 O'o 1"6 2'2 0-75 



I have examined some other specimens ; but the determination 

 of the sexes is probably erroneous. The following are the dimen- 

 sions of two which I consider likely to be young birds in their clean- 

 moulted dress, when the tails are very long : — 



Total 



length. Culmen. Wing. Tail. Tarsus, 



in. in. in. in. in. 



a. d . Viaetown {T. L. Ai/res) .. 6-7 0-5 2-0 3-3 0-85 



6. cJ. Transvaal (r.^ym) 5-6 05 2-05 3-3.5 0-85 



The soft parts are recorded as follows on labels attached to the 

 specimens : — 



a. d , in breeding-dress (March 5, 1875). Eye light brown ; bill 

 horn-colour ; legs tlesh- colour. 



/3. (S , in breeding-dress (Feb. 24). Eye brown ; bill black ; legs 

 flesh-colour. 



VOL. VII. 



