302 Captain G. E. Shelley on the 



mary being very small and finely pointed, except in the genus 

 Spermospiza and, possibly, in a few of the more nearly allied 

 species, which are excessively rare in collections, and of which 

 I have not been able to examine good series ; nevertheless, 

 from their general appearance, I believe their affinities to be 

 probably much nearer to Pytilia than to any other genus. 



With regard to the specimens examined, I shall only notice 

 types, those from new localities, and those with dates. 



Key to the Genera of ViduiNjE. 



a. Mantle never striped in any stage of plumage. Hind 

 claw sliorter and more curved. None of the inner 

 feathers of the wing ever lanceolate. None of the 



tail-feathers ever obtusely pointed Div. 1. Estkeld.^. 



a^. Bill comparatively slender and very unfinch-lilie. 

 Distance from gonys to tip of lower mandible 

 greater than the depth of the bill. Plumage 

 with no bright red nor yellow. Entire under- [p. 304. 



parts uniform. Tail entirely black 1 . Niyritit, 



h\ Bill stouter and finch-like. 



b^. Tail square, and extending beyond the wing 



by about the length of the tarsus. Plumage [p. 307. 



mostly pale brown 2, Philefcerux, 



c^. Tail rounded or graduated. 



c^. Bill very stout ; culmen arched. 



c*. "With no red on the plumage, and no pale 



ends to the tail-feathers. Sexes very 



similar. 



c'. Breast white or nearly so, with dark 



mottlings on the sides. Tail rather 



short and rounded. Legs dark. Bill [p. 308. 



blue-black 3. Spermcstes, 



<f'. Breast rarely white, and never with 



dark mottlings on the sides. Legs and [p. 310. 



bill rarely very dark 4. Mtmia, 



dK With white ends to the tail-feathers. 



Sexes dissimilar. With some red con- [p. 312. 



fined to the heads of the males only .... 6. Amadina, 

 (P. Bill very stout, and shaped like a pyramid. 

 Culmen straight. Upper mandible with a 

 powerful tooth near the base. Plumage 

 brown or black, with the head, rump, and [p. 313. 



tail red 0. Pyrenedcs, 



