Ploceidse of the Ethiopian Region. 315 



nally named after a male specimen, and S. guttata, after a 

 female specimen. Although there is a great resemblance 

 between these two species, and the sexes differ in a remark- 

 ably similar manner, there appear to be good characters for 

 their separation, and distinct geographical areas for their 

 distribution. 



M. Rochebrune (Faun. Senegamb. p. 2i6) only admits one 

 species of Spermospiza ; but as his description of the sexes 

 and young does not agree with the evidence before me, I 

 have been obliged to disregard his observations. I have in 

 my own collection an undoubtedly young bird with no white 

 whatever on the breast (agreeing perfectly with a young bird 

 in the British Museum), and an adult bird with the sides of 

 the head, upper tail-coverts^ and the abdomen entirely black, 

 which was marked ''male" by Mr. Burton, naturalist, in 

 Wardour Street; and I have no doubt as to his correctness 

 in this matter, as at the time I asked him to be very parti- 

 cular, for the bird having died in Mr. Wiener's aviary, he was 

 specially anxious to ascertain the sex. This form, however, is 

 regarded by M. Rochebrune as the female, and the specimens 

 with white spots on the abdomen as the young. 



The remaining genera of trie division Estrelda appear to 

 constitute three very natural groups : — 



1. Spermospiza group : comprising Spermospiza, Cryptospiza, 



and Hypargus. 



2. Pytilia group : comprising Pytilia and Lagonosticta. 



3. Estrelda group : comprising Estrelda and Ortygospiza. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Bill only tipped with oninge-red, that colour not 

 extending more than halfway down the cutting- 

 edge of the lower mandible. 

 a}. Entire upper parts as well as the sides of the 



head and abdomen uniform black 24. S. hcentatina, S ■ 



b\ Sides of the head, front of crown, and upper 

 tail-coverts red, of a much darker shade than 

 the throat ; abdomen black, spotted or barred 



with white 8. hcematina, $ . 



z 3 



