FRINQILLIBM. 



179 



Ngami. It resembles its congeners in manners and 

 habits. 



The iris is bright wine-coloured red; the legs and 

 toes black, as is also the bill, except near the base, 

 where it is whitish blue. 



Measurements of a male and a female : — 



216. Mariposa cyanogastra (Daud.). Southern Benghala Finch. 



Loxia cyano(iastra, Daudin's Tr. d'Orn. a'oI. ii. p. 436. 



Estrelda bmyhala, Gurney, Birds Damar., Proc. Zool. Soe. 1864, p. 3. 



„ „ Layard's Cat. No. 391. 



„ „ Chapman's Travels in S. Afi',, App, p. 402. 



Estrelda cyanoyastra, Sharpe's Cat. No. 616. 



This pretty little Finch is common at Lake Ngami 

 and in the neighbourhood of the Okavango River ; but 

 I do not think that it is found either in Damara or 

 Great Namaqua Land. 



I have heard occasionally of immense gatherings of 

 these birds ; but usually they are found in small flocks 

 seeking on the ground for their food, which consists 

 almost entirely of the seeds of grasses. 



On the 2nd of February, 1867, I found in Ondonga a 

 nest of this species in a palm bush about six feet from 

 the ground; it was constructed of grass, and had no 

 internal lining ; the eggs were five in number. 



The iris is cherry-colour. 



n2 



