214 PL0CE1DJ5. 



p. 319 (1881) ; Hohib Sf Von Pelz. Beitr. Oru. Stklafr. p. 124 



(1882). 

 Chera caffi-a, Cab. Mus. Hein. TIi. i. p. 176 (1850) ; Licht. Nomencl. 



p. 49 (1S54) ; Eeicheiib. Ilandb. Sinffi: p. 63, pi. 29. figs. 230-232 



(1861). 

 Vidua pvogne, Schlegel, Dierentuin, p. 198 (1872). 

 Coliuspasser procne, Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 345 ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. 



Mus. X. p. 240 (1888). 



Adult male. Entirely black both above aud below ■with a dis- 

 tinct gloss ; lesser wing-coverts scarlet, forming a conspicuous 

 patch ; median coverts whitish, washed Avith sandj^ bufi' ; greater 

 coverts and quills black, edged with huffy white or sandy brown ; 

 the primaries black, only edged with sandy buff near the end of the 

 outer Aveb : " bill brownish red ; feet dull red ; iris brown " {Dr. 

 Jloltib). Total length 19-5 inches, culmen 0*7, wing 5*4, tail 15, 

 tarsus 1-05. 



Adult female. General colour sandy buff, broadly streaked with 

 black centres to the feathers, less distinct on the rump and upper 

 tail-coverts ; lesser wing-coverts dark brown, edged with orange ; 

 median and greater coverts dark brown, broadly edged with sandy 

 buff ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, quills, and tail-feathers dark 

 brown, edged externally with sandy buff, more broadly on the 

 secondaries, the primaries rather conspicuously edged with pale 

 fulvous near the end of the outer web ; head like the back, but a 

 little less distinctly streaked ; a broad eyebi'ow of isabelline ; lores 

 aud feathers round the eye whitish ; ear-coverts reddish brown, 

 streaked -with black ; under surface of body sandy buff, streaked 

 with dusky brown on the lower throat, fore neck, sides of body, and 

 flanks ; the chin, breast, and abdomen uniform isabelline ; under 

 tail-coverts with blackish shaft-lines ; axillaries and under wing- 

 coverts soot}' black; quills dusky below, ashy fulvous towards the 

 base of the inner web. Total length 7 inches, culmen 0"75, wing 

 4-5, tail 2-9, tarsus 1-05. 



The adult male in winter plumarje does not differ in appearance 

 from the adult female. 



The yoking male also resembles the latter, but has the streaks on 

 the fore neck and chest a little broader : " bill pale, much suffused 

 with a dusky tinge, especially along the ridge ; tarsi and feet pale ; 

 iris dusky rufous brown " (2'. Ayres, ]\LSS.). Wing 4-15 inches. 



Hah. South Africa from the eastern districts of the Cape Colony 

 to Xatal and the Transvaal, reoccurring on the Cunene river and in 

 Benguela in S.W. Afiioa. 



a, b. (S imm. sk. S.E. Africa. Jolm Rocke, Esq. 



[P.]. 



c, d. (5 • ad. sk. Natal. Sharpe Coll. 



e. c? imm. sk. Natal, June 5 (T. £. Buckley). Shelley Coll. 



/■. c? imm. sk. Pretoria (J. Pratt). Sharpe Coll. 



ff, h. S ad. ; i. S Newcastle, May, June, Oct. Shelley Coll. 



imm. sk. {H. A. Butler), 



k. 2 ad- sk. Pietermavitzhurg, April (F. W. E. and C. G. 



Off/e,--). ' Oates, Esqrs. [P.]. 



