12 



tail-coverts nearly pure white, tinged witli pale grey on the flanks ; the featliers 

 forming the blackish band across the breast, narrowly margined with white, and blending 

 into the white belly; iris dark brown, eyelids fleshy pink ; bill pinkish tinged ^vith 

 purple, cuttLng-edges whitish ; legs brownish flesh-colour : length 5-15, wing 2-5, tail 

 1-6, tars. 0-75, culm. 0-55. 



Obser. The male and female, as in Munia oryzivora, are nearly identical in colour and 

 markings. The young vary, and are similar to those of the preceding species. 



It is now eighty-three years since M. L. P. Vieillot described and figured 

 the Brown Rice-Bird, or Padda, in his elaborate woi'k entitled ' Oiseaux 

 Chanteurs,' published in 1805, and although many travellers and collectors 

 have visited the country in which this peculiar form is found, and large 

 collections of other birds have reached Europe from the Malayan Arclii- 

 pelago, yet this bird remains one of the rarest of the Munias in museums 

 and private collections. 



It is much to be regretted that nothing is known respecting the habits, 

 niditication, or distribution of this species. 



Mr. A. R. Wallace procured this beautiful bird at Timor ; but he does 

 not mention anything respecting its economy, which undoubtedly resembles 

 that of the common Java Sparrow. 



The figures of the male and female in the accompanying plate are taken 

 from specimens in the British Museum, and are the natural size. 



