Ploceidse of the Ethiopian Region. 37 



Hab. N.E. and W. Africa. It ranges from Abyssinia to 

 Senegambia^ and down the West Coast to the Gaboon and 

 the island of Fernando Po. It lias been recorded from 

 Angola, but its occurrence there is open to doubt. 



Amongst the varieties may be seen specimens with the 

 black on the back nearly absent, and the amount of the 

 chestnut shade on the breast varies considerably. The black 

 of the crown does not always extend on to the nape, this part 

 being, I believe, the last to assume the full plumage. Most 

 of these variations may probably be attributed to the condi- 

 tion of the bird during its last moult. 



165. Ploceus abyssinicus. 



Loxia abyssinica, Gm. S. N. i. 1788, p. 860. 



Ploceus melanocephalus (part.), Vieill. (nee Gm.), N. D. 

 xxxiv. 1819, p. 131, Abyssinia, Senegal. 



Fringilla velata (part.), Licht. (nee Vieill.), Verz. Doubl. 

 1823, p. 23. 



Ploceus larvatus, Riipp.Neue Wirb. 1835-10, p. 91, pi. 32, 

 fig. 1. 



Ploceus flamrostr is, Riipp. Syst. Uebers. 1845, pp. 69, 70, 

 pi. 29, Abyssinia, Shoa. 



Hyphantornis larvata, Gray & Mitchell, Gen. B. ii. 1849, 

 p. 351. 



Textor larvatus, Bp. Consp. i. 1850, p. 440. 



Hijphantornis melanocephalus , Antin. Cat. 1864, p. 63. 



Ploceus solitarius, Wiirtt. MS. fide Heugl. J. f. O. 1867, 

 p. 297. 



Hyphantornis abyssinicus, Finsch, Tr. Z. S. vii. 1869, p. 261. 



Ploceus abyssinicus, Reichen. Zool. Jahrb. Jena, i. 1886, 

 p. 131. 



Hab. N.E. Africa : between about 16° and 5° N. lat. 



a, ^ . July, Lado {Emin Bey) . 



166. Ploceus kubiginosus. 



Ploceus rubiginosus, Riipp. Neue Wirb. 1835-40, p. 93, 

 pi. 33. fig. 1, Abyssinia. 



Hyphantornis rubiginosa, Gray & Mitchell, Gen. B. .ii 

 1849, p. 351. 



