55, MALIMT5US. 477 



Adult female. Different from the male. Genera] colour above 

 ochreous-olive, with broad black centres to the feathers of the back 

 and mantle ; the lower back, rump, and upper tail-covcrts uniform 

 ochreous-olive, the latter with dusky centres ; wings black, with 

 light ochreous edges to the wing-coverts and inner secondaries ; tail- 

 feathers black, edged with olive ; liead olive-greenish, slightly varied 

 with dusky centres to the feathers of the nape ; eyebrow lighter 

 olive ; sides of face dull olive ; checks and under surface of body 

 olive-yellow, brightest on the throat and abdomen ; fore neck, breast, 

 and sides of body olive-brown ; thighs and under tail-coverts with 

 a ruddy tinge ; under wing-coverts olive ; quills dusky below, olive 

 on the inner web. Total length 6-5 inches, culmen 0-9, wing 3-45, 

 tail 2-1, tarsus 0-9. 



Mab. West Africa from the Cameroons to the Congo. 



a, b. (S ; c. 2 ad. Cameroons Mountains, Jan., Sharpe Coll. 



sk. Feb. (A. Crossle?/). 



d. c? ad. sk. Gaboon. M. Verreaux. 



e- 6 ■,f,9- 2 ad. sk. Gaboon. P. B. Da Chaillu[C.]. 



h. J ad. sk. R. Ogowe (//. T. Ansell). Shelley Coll. 



i. S ad. sk. II, Congo {Dr. A. Liican). Shelley Coll. j 



2, Melanopteryx albinucha, 



Malimbus nigerrimus (jiec V.), Sharpe, Ibis, 1872, p. 72; Ussher, 



Ibis, 1874, p. 68. 

 Ploceus nigerrimus (vec T.), Biittik. Notes Leyden Mus. x. p. 88 



(1888), xi. p. 1.34 (lfc89). 

 Sycobius albinucha, Bocaye, Jorn. Lisb. 1876, p. 247. 



Adult. Black all over like M. nigerrima, but with a much smaller 

 bill, and distinguished by having the hind neck and upper mantle 

 mixed with white, so as to form a patch. Total length 5-4 inches, 

 culmen 0-75, wing 3-1, tail 1-7, tarsus 0-7. 



Young. Sooty black above with scarcely any white on the neck ; 

 bill horn-brown ; under surface dark ashy grey, hoary whitish on 

 the throat and cheeks. 



Hab. "West Africa from Liberia to the Niger, 



a. Juv. sk. West Africa. Purchased. 



b. Ad. sk. Gold Coast. Forbes Coll. 



c. d, e. Ad. sk. Gold Coast. Shelley Coll. 

 /, y. Ad. ; /(. Juv. Denkera {I£. T. UssJwr). Sharpe Coll, 



sk, 

 *. Ad, sk, R. Niger, Dr. Baikie [C.]. 



55. MALIMBUS. 



Tvpe. 



Mahmbus, Viei/l. Ois. Chant, p. 71, pi. 42 (1805) M. cristatus. 



Sycobius, Tieil/. Analyse, p. 33 (1816) ;M. cristatus. 



Ficophagus, J'ieili. {tibi ?), teste Gray, 1849. 



Atalochrous, Elliot, Ibis, 1876, p. 4o8 M. rachelise. 



Baiuje. Confined to West Africa. 



