Mr. D. G. Elliot on the Genus Malimbus. 457 



and gave the characters of the genus ; and it is by this generic 

 name this group of birds has been generally known. After- 

 wards this appellation was suppressed by the author ; and in 

 1820 Ficophayus was proposed. Although under Sycobius 

 the genus was first defined, yet, according to the strict rule 

 of nomenclature, it will have to give way to the first term 

 proposed, as, without any sufficient reason, an author hardly 

 has the right to change one name for another. 



The small group of African Finches which compose this 

 genus constitute a part of the family Ploceidae, and, with two 

 exceptions, are conspicuous for their dress of deep black and 

 rich crimson. Two species vary by having a cinereous plu- 

 mage enriched by red and white ; and one unites orange-red 

 with the general colours borne by the majority of the species. 

 They are chiefly inhabitants of the west coast of Africa, from 

 Sierra Leone to Angola, apparently nowhere very abundant. 

 According to Heuglin, M. melanotis is a native of Abyssinia j 

 and, so far as I am aware, no other member of the group 

 has been obtained on the east coast. 



The geographical distribution of the nine species, as now 

 known, is somewhat as follows : — The oldest described mem- 

 ber of the group, Tanagra malimbica of Daudin [Malimbus 

 cristatus, Vicillot), has been obtained all along the western 

 shore from the Gold Coast to the Congo. This is the only 

 crested species of the genus, and is easily distinguished from 

 its relatives. The next in order, M. scutatus of Cassin, has a 

 somewhat wider range, as the type was sent from Sierra Leone, 

 and other specimens have been procured at various points 

 on the coast as far south as the river Murie, a branch of the 

 Congo, where it was obtained by Du Chaillu. The Gaboon 

 is the only locality, so far as I know, from which M. 

 cassini has been received ; and this has remained since its dis- 

 covery a very rare species, only four specimens, I believe, 

 being known at present — the type and one other in the British 

 Museum, one in Mr. Sharpens collection, and one in the Phi- 

 ladelphia Academy of Natural Sciences. Two other species 

 range from the Gold Coast to the Congo, viz. : — M. rubri- 

 collis, Swainson, mistaken by Daudin and Vieillot for the 



