392 PLOCEID^E. 



Lai/ard, B. S. Afr. p. 196 (1867) ; C/iapiii. Tnn: S. Afr. ii. p. 402 

 (1868); Schl.^' Poll. Famu Madaff.,Ois. p. 153(1868); Me/fo.s, 

 76es, 1870, p. 100 ; Graij, Hancl-l. B. ii. p. 50, no. 6685 (1870); 

 Shcvjje, Cat. Afr. B. p. 65 (1871) ; Garney in Anderss. B. IJctm.- 

 Ld. p. 178 (1872) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1873, p. 282 ; Barratt, Ibis, 1876, 

 p. 208; Ai/res, f. c. p! 43:'.; Hartl. Voi/. Mada(j. p. 402 (1877); 

 Sharpe in Oafes' Matahek-Ld., App. p. 320 (1881) ; Bocaqe, Grn. 

 Aiu/ola, p. 358 (1881) ; S/iellei/, Ibis, 1882, p. 355 ; Butler,' Feilden, 

 4" iieid, Zool. 1882, p. 299 ; Hohib ^- Von Belz. Beitr. Dm. Sddafr. 

 p. 126, cum fig. (1882) ; S/iarpc, ed. Layard's B. S. Afr. pp. 470, 

 849 (1884) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1886, p. 322 ; Symonds, " Ibis, 1887, 

 p. 333 ; BUttik. Notes Leijden Mm. x. p. 240 (1888). 



Hatropyga astrild, Cab. Mus. Ilein. i. p. 169 (1850). 



^gintlia astrild, Buss, Stubenv. p. 43, Taf. i. fig. 2 (1879). 



Adult male. General colour above earthy brown, with a slight 

 reddish tinge on the rump and upper tail-coverts, the whole upper 

 surface finely barred with dusky cross-lines ; lesser and median 

 coverts dusky brown, with less distinct fine barring ; greater coverts 

 like the back ; bastard-wing, primary-coverts, and quills uniform 

 brown, edged with paler brown, the innermost secondaries obsoletely 

 barred with dusky ; tail-feathers dusky brown, edged with paler 

 brown, the centre ones with obsolete cross-bars and washed with 

 reddish near the base ; the outer webs of all the feathers paler 

 underneath ; crown of head rather more ashy than the back, the 

 fore part more uniform and the fine barring also not so distinct on 

 the hinder crown and nape ; lores and feathers round the eye 

 crimson, forming a longitudinal streak ; ear-coverts pale ashy grey ; 

 cheeks and throat light ashy, washed with rosy pink ; sides of neck 

 like the hind neck ; fore neck and remainder of under surface light 

 ashy brown, barred with fine lines of darker brown ; breast uniform 

 rosy pink in the centre ; lower abdomen black like the under tail- 

 coverts ; sides of body and flanks like the rest of the under surface, 

 but rather more coarsely barred ; thighs uniform ashy brown ; under 

 wing-coverts ochreous buff ; axillaries light ashy brown ; quills 

 below dusky, ashy ochreous along the inner web : " bill bright red ; 

 legs and feet liver-brown ; iris brown " ( 0. J. Andersson). Total 

 length 4-2 inches, culmen 0-35, wing l-So, tail 1-9, tarsus 0'55. 



Adult female. Duller in colour than the male, with much less pink 

 oil the underparts and the lower abdomen ; under tail-coverts and 

 tail sooty black. Total length 4-2 inches, culmen 0-4, wing IS, 

 tail 1"8, tarsus 0-55, 



After the breeding-season the bars on the underparts become s) 

 obliterated that the chest is almost uniform in many specimens. 



Hal). Southern Africa, ranging as far as the Matabele country on 

 the east and to Damara-Land on the west. Introduced into various 

 countries. 



a. Ad. sk. S. Helena, Jan. (G. E. S.). Shelley Coll. 



b. Ad. sk. R. Helena. Tweeddale Coll. 



c. d. Ad. sk. Ceres, Cape Colony, Jan. Shelley Coll. 



{G: E. *',). 

 e, f. rT 2 ad. .*k. Knysna, March (C. J. An- Sliarpe Coll. 



uerssnni). 



