Ploceidee of the Ethiopian Region. 41 



Si/cobius, sp. ?, Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. 1866^ p. 140. 

 Malimbus cristatus, Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. 1871, p. 60. 

 Hab. W. Africa : from the Congo to the Gold Coast. 



172. Malimbus cassini. 



Sycobius cassini, Elliot, Ibis, 1859, p. 392, Gaboon (type 

 exam. Brit. Mus.). 



Malimbus cassini, Elliot, Ibis, 1876, p. 461, pi. 13. fig. 1. 



? Sycobius rubriceps, Reichen. (nee Sundev.) J. f. O. 1876, 

 p. 209, Camaroons. 



Hab. W. Africa : Gaboon. 



I have restricted the range of this species to the Gaboon, 

 although it appears probable that Sycobius rubriceps, Uei- 

 chen., belongs here; but as that name was given to an 

 immature bird, I should hesitate to decide upon the species to 

 which it belongs without seeing the type. 



173. Malimbus nitens. 



Ploceus nitens, J. E. Gray, Zool. Miscell. i. 1831, p. 7. 



Sycobius nitens, Gray & Mitchell, Gen. B. ii. 1849, p. 352, 

 pi. 87. 



Malimbus nitens, Sharpe, Cat. Afr. B. 1871, p. 60. 



Hab. Central and W. Africa : Ndoruma in Central Africa, 

 and in West Africa from the Gaboon to Sierra Leone. 



The sexes appear to be perfectly similar in plumage, for in 

 a large series of specimens from the Gold Coast I find no 

 variations, 



174. Malimbus scutatus. 



Sycobius scutatus, Cass. Pr. Ac. Pliilad. 1849, p. 157; id. 

 Journ. Ac. Philad. 1850, p. 297, pi. 41 ! figs. 1 c?, 2 ? . 



Mali?nbus scutatus, Shaqie, Cat. Afr. B. 1871, p. 60. 



Hab. W. Africa : from the Gaboon to Sierra Leone. 



The specific characters which distinguish M. cassini from 

 M. nitens are the same as those which characterize the sexes 

 in this species. 



175. Malimbus rubropersonatus. (Plate II. fig. 2.) 

 The whole front half of the head^ the throat, crop, and under 



tail-coverts bright orange-red. Remainder of the plumage : 



