19. STICTOSPIZA. 287 



white ou the outer web of the primaries ; tail-feathers black, 

 externally dull criiusou ; crown of head slaty grey like the back ; a 

 liue across the base of the forehead, feathers round the eye, ear- 

 coverts, sides efface, cheeks and throat, black; remainder of under 

 surface of body pearly grey, a little darker on the sides of the body, 

 which are ornamented with tiny white dots ; thighs slaty grey : 

 sides of vent and under tail-coverts black ; under wing-coverts ashy 

 grey, with whitish bases to the feathers ; quills dusky below, ashy 

 along the inner web : " bill pale greyish blue, darker on the culmen 

 and apex ; feet dark grey ; eyelid pale greyish blue : iris brown " 

 (TF. A. Forbes). Total length 4--i inches, culmen 0-45, wins 1-95 

 tail 1-7, tarsus 0-5. 



Hab. ISr.E. Africa in the countries of the Upper White Nile 

 across to the Niger lliver in Western Africa. ' 



a. J ad. sk. Lokoja, lliver Niger, Aug. Forbes Coll. 



19. STICTOSPIZA. 



Tail of Stictosjjizaformosa. 

 RaiKjc. Confined to the Indian Peninsula. 



1. Stictospiza formosa. 



Lovely Finch, Lath. Gen. Syn. Suppl. i. p. G18 (1787) 



Fnugilla formosa, Lath. Ind. Orn. i. 441 (1790) 



Estrelda formosa, Gray, Gen. B. ii. p. 369 (1849) ; Blyth, Cat B 

 Mus.As.Soc. p. 119 (1849) ; Jerd. B. Lid. ii. p. 861 (1863 : Gray 

 Hand-l. 11. p. 53 no. 6734 (1870); Hume, Nests ^ EcmsLnd. B 



^-f^'n^^f^'''^^''- ^-J''- J^- ^^^ (1^"^)' Fairbanktstr.F.iv. 



P-.2f /1876) ; irunu>, Str. F. viii. p. 107 (1879) ; BrMer, Cat. B. 



Stud ^-c p. 46 (1879); td. Cat. B. S. Bomb. Pres. p. 61 (1880); 



Meid, '\F-^.V- 56; Davidson, t. c. ip. 313 (1882); Swmh.'d 



Barnes, Lbis, 1885, p. 129. ^ J ' • y 



Pytelia laterahs, Bp. Consp. Av. i. p. 462 (1850) 

 Pyteha formosa, Ball, Str. F. ii. p. 421 (1874), vii. p. 222 (1878). 



Adult male. General colour above light olive-green, the wino-- 

 coverts like the back ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quilts 

 dark brown, narrowly edged with olive, the inner secondaries 

 entirely olive-green like the back; upper taU-coverts brighter olive- 



