32. iiUNii. 335 



Yun-nan, Birds, p. 598 (1878) ; Vorderm. Nat. Tijdschr. Nederl. 

 Ind. xliv. p. 220 (1885). 

 Amadina rubronigra, Hume, Str. F. viii. p. 107 (1879) ; Scidbj, t. c. 

 p. 332; Vidal, Str. F. i^. p. 71 (1880); Heid, Str. F. x.'p. 55 

 (1881) ; Gates, t. c. p. 232 (1882) ; Hume, Str. F. xi. p. 272 (1888). 



Adult male. General colour above light rufous or chestnut, the 

 wing-coverts like the back ; quills dusky brown, extern aUj- chest- 

 nut, the inner secondaries entirely of the latter colour ; rump and 

 upper tail-coverts glossy maroon, the latter with a slight golden 

 gloss ; tail-feathers brown with deep orange margins ; head and 

 neck all round, throat, and fore neck glossy black ; remainder of 

 under surface of body chestnut, the centre of the lower breast, 

 abdomen, thighs, and under tail-coverts black ; under wing-coverts 

 pale tawny buff, the edge of the wing chestnut : " bill pale leaden 

 blue; legs and toes dark bluish plumbeous ; iris dark brown " (J". 

 Sculhj). Total length -l-o inches, culmen 0-5, wing 2*1, tail 1-35, 

 tarsus 0'6. 



Although, at first sight, a considerable difference is apparent be- 

 tween a Malacca)! and a Himalayan specimen of the Eufous-and- 

 black Weaver-Finch, there are many specimens which are thoroughly 

 intermediate between these two forms, especially in the Burmese 

 provinces. The grey mottling on the mantle appears to be a decided 

 character of the Malayan race, but it is less developed in some of 

 the Tenasserim birds, and it is by no means certain that the Hima- 

 layan birds do not possess a similar stage of plumage. After the 

 moult it is evident that the mantle of Malaccan specimens is much 

 more uniform, for instance in August, than it is in B'ebruary, when 

 the grey mottling on the mantle is very distinct ; the latter may be a 

 sign of breeding-plumage. 



The following is a description of a pair from Malacca : — 



Adult male. Similar to the Himalayan form, but smaller, with less 

 black on the abdomen nnd with boaiy-grey edges to the feathers of 

 the mantle, which is slightly mottled : " bill leaden blue ; feet dark 

 plumbeous; iris dark brown" (E. W. Oates). Total length 3-7 

 mches, culmen 0-45, wing 2, tail 1-3, tarsus 0-6. 



Adidt female. Similar to the male. Total length 3-8 inches, 

 culmen 0'45, wing 2, tail 1"3, tarsus 0-6. 



Young. Brown, more or less tinged with chestnut, especially on 

 the wing-coverts ; head and sides of face ashy brown ; cheeks, 

 throat, and underparts ochreous buff, inclining to hoary white on 

 the former. 



The adult plumage is gained at once by a moult, but there seems 

 to be no seasonal change in the species. 



Eah. Himalayas and Central India to the Burmese countries and 

 the Malayan Peninsula. 



a. M. rid)ronigra. 



a-e. c? ad. ; /. N.W. Himalayas. Pinwill Coll. 



Juv. sk. 

 (/. Ad. sk. Dehra Donii. Hume Coll. 



