Ploceidse of the Ethiopian Hegion. 303 



, Bill variable in strength. Culmen arched, 

 e*. Tail rounded, but never decidedly gra- 

 duated, liill longer. Rump and upper 

 tail-coverts generally' red. Tail generally 

 washed with red. 

 e\ Wings more rounded; second primary 

 never sinuated ; primaries nearly uni- 

 form black or brown, never edged with 

 olive, yellow, nor red. Bill blue or 

 black. Mantle never grey, 

 e". Bill very strong. 



e' , Bill metallic blue, . tipped with 

 orange. Mantle black. Bastard 

 primary very large, more than half 

 the length of the next. Second 

 and third quills considerably [p. 314. 



shorter than the fourth 7. Spermospka, 



f. Bill black. Mantle red. Second, 



third, and fourth primaries nearly [p. 316. 



equal 8. Cryptospiza, 



/". Bill moderately strong. Breast black [p. 317, 



or brown, with large white spots , . 9. Hyparyus, 

 f^. Wings more pointed ; second primary 

 generally sinuated. 

 </''. Quills never uniform but always 

 broadly edged with olive, yellow, or 

 red. Breast generally barred or 

 boldly spotted, never red. Bill gene- 

 rally entirely red. Never with 

 a distinct red band through the [p. 318. 



eye 10. PytUiu, 



¥'. Quills uniform brown. Throat and 

 breast generally uniform vinous red. 

 Generally with minute white spots 

 on the sides of the chest. Bill never [p. 321. 



entirely red 11. Lagonosticta, 



f^. Tail generally decidedly graduated. Bill 

 short. Tail-feathers rarely shaded with 

 red. Bastard primary always small; 

 second primary never sinuated. Tail 

 reaching beyond the wing by more than [p. .326. 



the length of the tarsus 12. Estrehla, 



yK Tail square and very short, not reaching 



beyond the wing by nearly the length of [p. 337. 



the tarsus 13. Ortygospiza, 



