354 Capt. G. E. Shelley on a Collection of 



quills and tail-feathers edged with bright yellow ; underparts 

 whitCj shading into yellow on the throat and front of the 

 chest; under surface of the wings brown, with the inner 

 margins of the quills and the coverts white, the latter slightly 

 mottled with ashy brown and yellow. Total length in the 

 skin 5-2 inches, culmen 0*65, wing 8"1, tail 2, tarsus 0"75. 



This species appears to be most nearly allied to Sharpia 

 angolensis, Bocage (Jorn. Lisb. vi. p. 258), which was de- 

 scribed from a female, and which I only know of from the 

 description. The black border to the forehead, and the 

 absence of any yellow on the rump, upper tail-coverts, and 

 abdomen, in the present species, appear to me more likely to 

 be specific than sexual differences ; so I have much pleasure 

 in naming it, at Mr. Jameson^s request, S. ayresi, after one 

 of its discoverers. — G. E. S.] 



149. EUPLECTES XANTHOMELAS, Riipp. 



(71) cJ Umvuli river, 1st September. Iris umber; bill 

 pale, with the culmen light brown ; tarsi and feet light dusky 

 brown. Total length in the flesh 5 "75 inches. 



I do not remember ever having met with these Finches 

 before. Here we found them in small flocks of one or two 

 males to some half a dozen or ten females. They feed on 

 grass-seeds on the ground. 



150. Vidua paradisea (Linn.). 



(157) c?, Kanye, 7th January. Iris dark umber; bill 

 black ; tarsi and feet dark brown. 



This Finch is not uncommon south of Mangwato, usually 

 in pairs, and is also found, though more sparingly, in the 

 Rustenburg and Origstadt districts of the Transvaal. During 

 the breeding-season, when the wonderful tail of the cock bird 

 is fully developed, he will sometimes rise until nearly out of 

 sight, when he suddenly descends with much velocity, and, if 

 approached, makes off with ease and swiftness. 



151. Vidua regia (Linn.). 



(147) S } Selenia Pan, 28th December; and cJ, Kooroo- 

 moorooi Pan, 2nd January. Iris dusky ; bill, tarsi, and feet 

 brilliant red. 



