40G PLOCElDJi. 



neck ; breast and abdomen isabelline, with a tinge of j cllow here 

 and there ; sides of body, flanks, and thighs liglit ashy ; under tail- 

 coverts white like the abdomen, with a yellow tinge ; under wing- 

 coverts and axillaries pale safFron-yellow, m ith a dusky patch near the 

 edge of the wing ; quills below dusky, yellow along the inner edge : 

 " bill, tarsi, and feet pale du^ky ; iris light brown "' {T. Ay res). 

 Total length 6-2 inches, culmen 0-6, wing 3"1, tail 2-1, tarsus 0-85. 



Adult male in winter plumage. Very similar to the adult female, 

 but distinguished by its olive-yellow lower back, rump, and upper 

 tail-coverts ; the wing-coverts edged with yellow, as well as the 

 inner secondaries, which are yellow like the primaries ; there is more 

 yellow on the throat, and the axillaries and under wing-coverts 

 bright yellow. Total length 5-6 inches, culmen 0-6, wing 3, tail 2, 

 tarsus 0-8. 



In the more northern parts of South Africa a small bright- 

 coloured race {H. luariquensis. Smith, H. onelanojys, Cab.) occurs, 

 which is at first sight quite different in aspect and size from the 

 specimens from the Cape Colony and Natal. There is also much less 

 black on the forehead. When a large series, however, is examined, 

 it is found that many of the Transvaal birds hold an absolutely 

 intermediate position as regards colouring and the extent of black 

 on the forehead, and it is impossible to define these northern and 

 southern races. It is another case of the phenomenon so often met 

 with in South Africa, that the individuals become smaller in size 

 and brighter in plumage as they approach nearer towards the 

 Equator. 



JIab. South Africa, as far as Benguela on the west and Matabele- 

 Land on the east. The northern specimens are smaller and brighter. 



a. H, velatus. 



a,b. S;c. 2 ad. sk. Cape Colony. Sir A. Smith [C.]. 



d. (5juv.sk. Between the Orauge River Sir A. Smith [C.J. 



aud the Tropic. (Type of P. tahatali.) 



e,f.(S ; (7- $ ad.sk. Cape Colony {E. L. L.S,- Sharpe Coll. 



C. J. A.). 



h. (5 ad. sk. Cape Colony. Shelley Coll. 



i. (S ; A-, /. 2 ad. sk. Natal. Sharpe Coll. 



m. cJ ad. sk. AVeenen, April {T. Shelley Coll. 



Arnold). 



n. 2 ad. sk. Durban, Aug. 25 {Sank Shelley Coll. 



EeuT). 



o,P- d ; ?■ 2 ^^- sk- Newcastle, Oct. {E. A. Shelley Coll. 



Uutler). 



r-u. (S ad.et hieui, ; Transvaal ( T. Ayres). Sharpe Coll. 



V. 2 <id. hiem sk. 



ic. S ad.sk. Transvaal {T. Ayres). Shelley Coll. 



X. S ad. sk. Potchefstroom, Oct. 3 (T. J. H. Gurney, Esq. [P.]. 



Aj/res). 



y. S hiem. sk. Rustenhurg, July 4 (7f. Shelley Coll. 



Lucas). 



z, a'. (S ad. sk. Macamac. F. A. Barratt, Esq. [P.]. 



