510 PLOCEID^. 



Lm/ard's B. S. Afr. p. 445 (1884) ; Biittik. Notes Letjden Mus. xi. 



p. 74 (1889). 

 Alecto erythrorhynchus, Bp. Cotisp. i. p. 438 (1850). 

 Textor niger, Strickl. ^ Scl. Cuntr. Orn. 1852, p. 150 ; Saluin, Cat. 



Stricld. Cull. p. 240 (1882). 

 Alecto panicivorus, Miill. J. f. O. 1855, p. 460. 

 Textor panicivorus, HartL Orn. W.-Afr. p. 131 (1857) ; Gray, 



Hand-l. B. ii. p. 40, no. 6553 (1870) ; SheUeij, Ibis, 1887, p. 43 ; 



Bartl. Mvnof/r. Weaver-B. pt. ii. pi. 2 (1888). 

 Alectrornis panicivora, Reichenb. Siiif/v. p. 89 (1861). 

 Textor alecto {)iec Temm.), Sharpe, P. Z. S. 1809, p. 566. 

 Bubalornis erytlirorhynchus, Gurncy in Anderss, B. Dam.-Ld. p. 165 



(1872). 



Adult male. Entirely black, the feathers more or less mottled 

 ■with snowy-white bases ; the primary quills externally edged with 

 white, which extends nearly to the end of the outer web on the 

 inner primaries : " quills black below, with more than the inner 

 half white ; bill coral-red ; legs salmon-colour ; iris hazel " (Frank 

 Oiites). Total length 9-5 inches, culmeu 0-9, wing 4-6, tail 3'9, 

 tarsus 1"2. 



Adult female. Duller and more brownish black than the male, 

 ■with less pronounced white bases to the feathers ; sides of face 

 decidedly washed with ashy grey ; throat hoary whitish, especially 

 towards the chin ; a few of the breast-feathers with remains of 

 whitish margins. Total length 9 inches, culmen 0-9, wing 4-45, 

 tail 3-9, tarsus I'l. 



Narrow fringes of white are seen on the primary-coverts in the 

 specimen described. These are more distinct in a female from 

 Angola, which is, however, decidedly blacker, so that it is probable 

 that in fully adult birds there is very little difference between the 

 sexes. 



Tounq birds resemble the old female on the upper surface of 

 the body, but are whiter below, the feathers of the under surface 

 being all margined with white. Some specimens have the centre of 

 the breast white with mesial streaks of black, and a few blackish 

 margins. The bill likewise appears to be more horn-brown. 



Hah. South Africa from the interior of the Cape Colony and the 

 Transvaal to the Bamangwato country, the district of Lake Ngami, 

 Damara-Land, and Benguela. 



«. Imm. sk. Kiurichaine. Sir A. Smith [C.]. 



(Type of species.) 



b. 6 ad. sk. Transvaal, July 16 ( T. E. Buck- Shelley Coll. 



ley). 



c. $ ad. sk. Transvaal {T. Ayres). Sharpe Coll. 

 <7. cj imm. sk. Bamangwato, Aug. 21 (T.^.i?.). Shelley Coll. 



e /, ff. 6 ad. ; Tati, Matabele-Land, March, W. E. & C. G. Dates, 



2 iuv. 8k. Sept., Oct (F. Oates). Esqrs. [P.]. 



;,. $ 'imm. sk. Makalaka Kraal, beyond Tati W. E. &C. G. Oates, 



River, June 17 {F. Oates). Esqrs. [P.]. 



i, (5 sd. sk. Makalaka country {Dr. Brad- Shelley Coll. 

 shaw). 



