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



■ We met with but very few of these Finches ; near the 

 Umvuli we found them amongst the rough cover on the 

 banks of the river^ feeding on grass-seeds ; and at the Tatin 

 they were always in pairs. 



[Very closely allied to L. rubricata ; the red portions of 

 the plumage paler and of a pinker hue ; the white spots on 

 the sides of the chest scarcely visible ; sides o£ the head rosy 

 pink, like the chest ; upper parts tinted with that colour, 

 most strongly so on the sides of the crown and back of the 

 neck.— G. E. S.] 



158. Lagonosticta minima (Vieill.). 



(119) ? ; Tatin river, 7th and 9th December. Bill violet- 

 pink, with the culmen nearly black ; tarsi and feet dusky 

 brown. Male — iris red ; bill rosy lilac, with the culmen and 

 gonys nearly black. 



We met with a small party of this species feeding amongst 

 the short grass near the edge of some scrub, into which 

 they immediately flew on being disturbed. 



159. Pytelia melba (Linn.). 



(12) Limpopo river, near the junction of the Notuani river, 

 Transvaal, 22nd May, and Tatin river, 7th December. Iris 

 light hazel ; bill light brick-red, with the culmen dusky ; 

 tarsi and feet light ashy brown. Matabele name " Kovane." 



They frequent the low mimosa bushes, mostly in pairs, and 

 although not uncommon on the Crocodile river and in the 

 Rustenburg district, we did not meet with them to the north 

 of the Tatin river. 



160. QUELEA QUELEA (LiuU.). 



(155) Kooroomoorooi Pan, 2nd January. 



A small flight of these Finches visited the Pan at midday. 



[This bird is better known under the incorrect title of 

 Quelea sanguinirostris (Linn.). Linnaeus cites (as a synonym 

 of his Loxia sanguimrosh'is) Edw. Av. ii. p. 128, t. 271. f. 2, 

 but adds, " sed subtus maculata non mea/^ which shows 

 that his Loxia sanguinirostris refers to the North-east African 

 form, more generally known under SundevalFs name of 

 (Ethiopica. 



