454 



Ploceus abyssinicus, lieichen. Zool. Jahrb. i. p. 131 (188G) ; Dubois, 

 Bull. .ytix. li. L'elff. iv. p. 148 (1880) ; Shelley, Ibis, 1887, p. 37 ; 

 id. P. Z. S. 1888, p. 36. 



Adult male. Similar to H. ciuidlatus, and, like that species, having 

 a yellow mantle with a broad black band on each side of it, but this 

 band does not meet across the lower back as in H. cucidlatus, the 

 yellow being continuous from the neck to the rump ; the greater 

 coverts edged with white instead of yellow ; the under surface 

 resembles that of //. cucidlatus, but the head is different. The 

 black docs not extend much fui'ther than the level of the eye, the 

 hinder crown, occiput, and nape being chestnut, the hind neck and 

 sides of neck being bright yellow like the back : " bill black ; legs 

 greyish black ; iris scarlet " ( W. T. Blanford) : " iris rufous 

 chestnut; feet reddish" {Von HeugVm). Total length 6"6 inches, 

 culmen 0-9, wing 36, tail 2, tarsus 1. 



Adult female. Similar to the female of -£r. cMCiJZaiMS, but browner 

 on the back and clearer isabelline on the sides of the body ; the 

 olive-yellow on the head not so strongly pronounced, and the yellow 

 on the throat and face not so strongly developed. 



The skin above described is from a specimen obtained in Senaar 

 in January, and is presumed to be the old female. I have no speci- 

 mens accurately determined, for those marked " 5 " by Messrs. 

 Blanford and Jesse are undoubtedly males, and are moulting into 

 the black-throated adult stage. 



The adult male in winter (Emin Pasha) closely resembles the 

 adult female described, but has a little more yellow on the breast 

 and abdomen : " bill dusky horn-colour, the mandible paler " ( Von 

 Heuyliti). 



A young bird is washed with bright yellow both above and below, 

 and is especially bright on the throat and breast. It closely 

 resembles the young birds of H. cvcidlatus obtained by Mr. Porbes 

 on the Niger. 



Uab. N.E. Africa to Equatorial Africa. 



a. c? ad. sk. 



b. c? ad. sk. 

 e. (5 ad sk. 



d. 5 ad. sk. 



e. 5 ad. sk. 

 /. 2 ad. sk. 

 ff. 5 ad. sk. 



h, i. (S ad. at imm. 



h. 2 ad. sk. 

 I, m. (S ad. et 



imm. sk. 

 n. S <id. sk. 



2}. (S ad. sk. 



q. (5 ad. sk. 

 »•. c? hiem. sk. 



Abyssinia. 



Abyssinia. 



Abyssinia. 



Abyssinia. 



Abyssinia (J. W. von Midler). 



Senegal. 



Soudan. 



Tigre, March, May. 



Goongoona, May (W. Jesse). 



Daimbi, Slioa, May (O. 



Antinori). 

 Lado, Equatorial Africa, June, 



July {Emin Pasha). 

 Kiri, May 22. 

 Tingasi, Sept. 12. 



Sharpe Coll. 

 Forbes Coll. 

 Dr. Eiippell [C.]. 

 M. Verreaux. 

 Shelley Coll. 

 Sharpe Coll. 

 Sharpe Coll. 

 W. T. Blanford, Esq. 



[C.]. 

 Tweeddale Coll. 



SheUey Coll. 



Shelley Coll. 



Emin Pasha. 

 Emin Pasha. 



