304 Captain G. E. Shelley on the 



b. Mantle striped in some stage of plumage. Hind 

 claw longer, less curved, and more slender. Gene- 

 rally with some of the inner feathers of the wing 

 lanceolate. Tail-feathers often obtusely pointed. . Div. 2. ViDUiE. 

 h\ In adult males feathers of the back never mottled 

 with dark centres. 

 Ir. Tail square, or square with the exception of 

 the four centre leathers. Plumage with no 

 bright red nor yellow. 

 1y\ Tail entirely square. Entire plumage glossy [p. 338. 



black. Bill and legs red 14. Ihjiwcliera, 



c^. Tail square, with the two or four centre fea- [p. 339. 



thers very much elongated 15. Vidua^ 



e'. Tail rounded or graduated, and never very 

 short: the ends of the feathers never obtusely 

 pointed. Plumage: tail and breast entirely [p. 343. 



black 10. Coliuspasser, 



(P. Tail square, very short, and the feathers ob- 

 tusely pointed. Plumage : tail brown, with 

 pale margins to the feathers; adult males [p. 3.")0. 



alwavs with some bright red or yellow .... 17. Pyromehina, 

 c'. Back always brown, with dark centres to the 



feathers. Tail short and square, with the ends [p. 355. 



of the feathers obtusely pointed 18. Quelea, 



1. NiGRITA. 



1841. ^thiops, Strickl. P. Z. S. 1841. p. 30 Type. 



(previously employed in Mammalia) . N. canicapilla. 



1842. Nigrita, Strickl. P. Z. S. 1842, p. 145 . N. canicajnl/a. 

 18G0. Percnopis, Heine, J. f. 0. 1860, p. 144. N.fusconota. 



The genus Nigrita is a very abnormal form with regard to 

 the bill, and has been placed by Prof. Snndevall C' Avium 

 Tentamen,' p. 20) in his family Ampelinse, but, I consider, 

 should be retained in the present family. 



This genus consists of three groups : the first represented 

 by the white-breasted and more slender forms N. fusconota, 

 from south of the equator, and its northern representative 

 N. uropygialis. 



The second group consists of two stout little birds, with 

 very arched bills, much compressed at their sides, A^. luteifrons 

 and N. lucieni, whigli I believe to be distinct species, although 

 Dr. TIartlaub once descri])cd A^. lucieni as the immature 



