268 I'LOCEIDiE. 



Spermestes fringilloides, Ilartl. Orn. W.-Afr. p. 147 (1857) ; id. 



P. Z. -S. 1867, p. 82G ; Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. p. 64 (1871); Oust. 



Nouv. Arch. Mus. (2) ii. Bull. p. 112 (1879) ; Biittik. Notes Leyd. 



Mus. viii. p. 261 (1886), x. p. 91 (1888) ; Shellet/, Ibis, 1886, p. 308. 

 Amauresthea fringilloides, Reichenh. Slngv. p. 86, pi. 44. fig. 322 



(1861) ; Finsch ^- Hartl. Vo(/. Ostafr. p. 434 (1870) ; Fischer Sf 



Reichen.J.f. O. 1878, p. 265; iid. "1879, p. 352; Biittik. Notes 



Leyd. Mus. vii. p. 201 (1885). 



Adult male. General colour above chocolate-brown, the upper 

 back varied with light rufous tips to the feathers and pale linear 

 apical shaft-stripes ; scapulars with whitish shaft-lines ; rump and 

 upper tail-coverts glossy blue-black ; wing-coverts chocolate-brown, 

 the median series with white shaft-streaks ; bastard-wing, primary- 

 coverts, and quills brown ; tail-feathers black, the outer feathers 

 fringed with white along the inner web ; crown of head and hind 

 neck black with a steel-green gloss, as well as the lores, sides of 

 face, ear-coverts, cheeks, sides of neck, and throat ; remainder of 

 uuder surface from the fore neck downwards white ; sides of breast 

 with a purplish-black patch ; sides of body with a large patch of pale 

 chestnut, the outer feathers of which are streaked with black and 

 margined with white ; flanks white ; thighs black, white internally ; 

 under tail-coverts white ; under wing-coverts and axillaries isabelliue 

 buff ; quills below dusky, deep isabelline along the inner edge : " upper 

 mandible dark brownish black, the lower mandible horny greyish 

 blue, with the point and edges darker ; feet horny blackish ; iris 

 brownish red" (O. A. Fischer). Total length 4-5 inches, culmen 

 0*6, wing 2-35, tail 1-35, tarsus 0-55. 



The specimen described was shot by Mr. T. L. Ayres near Pine- 

 town in Natal, on the 30th of June, and is probably in full winter 

 plumage. A specimen procured by the same gentleman on the 

 5th of February differs in some minor particulars. The centre of 

 the back is pale, but does not show the rufous barring of the other 

 male, caused by the pale tips to the feathers, but every feather has a 

 distinct pale shaft-streak ; the chestnut flank-patch is very pale, 

 and the gloss on the head and throat is duller. The differences of 

 plumage are doubtless only duo to the fact that the bird procured 

 in February is rather faded after the breeding-season. 



Bab. The greater part of Africa, excepting the north-east, south- 

 west, and south of the continent. 



«. S ad. sk. West Africa. Sharpe Coll. 



b. Ad. sk. West Africa. Shelley Coll. 



c. Juv. sk. River Gambia. Shelley Coll. 



d. e. Juv. sk. River Gambia. Purchased. 

 f,9-6;h.2 Zanzibar, April (G. A. Shelley Coll. 



ad. sk. Fischer). 



i, k. (S ad. sk. Pinetown, Niital, Feb., June Shelley ColL 



{T. L. Ayres). 



