IGO THE FINCHES AND WEAVER BIRDS OF THE SUDAN 



These sub-families may be recognised as follows : 



In the Vidmnee and the Estrildinse the first primary, or outermost feather of the 

 wing is very small, narrow, and sharply pointed, not reaching beyond the end of the 

 primary coverts (the series of feathers on the upper surface of the wing which overlap 

 the bases of the flight feathers). 



In the Vididiim the sexes are nearly alike in winter, with the plumage of the back 

 striped, but in the summer the males assume a strikingly distinct breeding plumage, 

 frequently with enormously developed tail feathers, or extremely brilliant colours. 



In the Estrildinie the sexes are nearly alike at all seasons. The plumage of the back 

 is never striped. The minute first primary is sickle-shaped. There is no extraordinary 

 seasonal development of the tail feathers in the males. 



In the Plnceinie the first primary is larger, reaching beyond the primary coverts, and 

 is not sharply pointed. The tail is square or rounded. Males resemble females in winter, 

 but assume a brighter plumage in the breeding season. 



Sub-family : 1. Sub-family : Vidainse 



rifiuiiiit 



The foUovviug genera are represented in the Sudan ; — 



Hijpochera (Indigo Finches). Birds of small size, in which the adult males are uniform 

 glossy blue-black. Females and young males are mottled-brown, with the centre of 

 the crown of the head pale buff. The bill, whitish in colour, is short and conical, 

 as wide as deep at the base, with the nostrils almost hidden by the nasal plumes. 

 The tail is shorter than the w-ing, with the central pair of feathers slightly shorter 

 than the others. Wing with the first feather very minute, not longer than the bill. 



Vidua (Whydah or Widow Finches). In this genus the males in breeding condition 



have the four central tail feathers extremely long, and are of a handsome, unmottled, 



dark or pied plumage, with the bill black or red. Females, young, and males in 



non-breeding plumage are brown, mottled on the back with black, and with a buff 



• eyebrow stripe. Tail square, shorter than the wing. 



[Note. — In neither of the two above genera is there a frill on the neck in 

 breeding males, nor is there any bright-red or yellow in their plumage.] 



GoUuspasser (Great-tailed Whydahs). In this, and the next, group of Whydah Birds the 

 tails are graduated or rounded, and not square, at all seasons. In GoUuspasser, but 

 not in Urohrachya, the tail of males in breeding plumage is longer than the wing. 

 In some of the South African species it is developed to a much more extreme 

 length than in the one occurring in the Sudan. In our species (GoUuspasser macrurus) 

 breeding males are velvety-black, with the upper part of the back and the shoulders 

 bright chrome-yellow. The females and young are brown, mottled with black ; 

 males not in breeding plumage resemble them, but have the shoulders always bright 

 chrome-yellow. 



Urohrachya (Fan-tailed Whydahs). Very closely allied to GoUuspasser, but the rounded 

 tail is always shorter than the wing. In the Sudan species (Urohrachya phcenicea) 

 the breeding males are black, with the shoulders orange-red. Females and young 

 are extremely like those of GoUuspasser macrurus ; non-breeding males are very 

 similar to those of that species, but have the shoulders orange-red instead of 

 chrome-yellow. 



Pyromelana (Bishop Birds). Called in the Sudan " Dhurra Birds." In these the tail is 

 square, and not rounded. The males in the breeding season assume a brilliant 



