32 On the Specific VaUdily of Ploccus megarhynclius. 



P. megarhynckm, for it can hardly be supposed to be con- 

 fined to the Terai region below Naini Tal. 



I append the synonymy and diagnosis of the species : — 



Ploceus megarhynchus. (Plate I.) 



Ploceus megarhynchus Hume, Ibis, 1869, p. 357; 1871, 

 pp. 36, 37 : id. Stray Feathers, iii. 1875, pp. 153, 406, 407; 

 vi. 1878, p. 400; viii. 1879, p. 106. 



Ploceus atrigida Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. vol. xiii. 

 (1890) p. 491 (part.). 



Ploceus megarhynchus Oates, Faun. Brit. Ind., Birds, 

 vol. ii. (1890) p. 177 (part.). 



Ploceus rutledgii Finn, Proc. A. S. B., July 1899, p. 77. 

 Ploceus megarhynchus Finn, J. A. S. B. Ixviii. pt. ii. 

 pp. 250-252 (1899). 



Mas in vestitu (estiva. Maxima ex parte corporis flavus; sed 

 alis cautlaque fuscis fulvo marginatis; necnon nucha 

 atque macula pectorali utriuque sordide nigris ; capitis 

 lateribus fusco lavatis maculam forraantibus : i^ostro 

 nigro, ad basin carneo-albo ; iridibus castaneis ; pedibus 

 obscure carneis. 

 Mas in vestitu hieniali. Brunneus, supra sparsim fusco- 

 striatus ; alis caudaque fusois fulvo marginatis ; gula 

 pallidiore, abdomine cum crisso albo : rostro carneo- 

 albo, culmine cum apice nigro. 

 Long. circ. 6*5 poll.; rostrum a rictu 0"8 ; ala a carpo 3; 

 Cauda circ. 2 ; tarsus circ. 9. 

 Obs. Similis P. bnyce atque P. atrigulce, sed in vestitu sestivo 

 colore flavo in totum corpus infra extenso, et plerumque 

 statura majore facillime distinguendus; in vestitu hiemali 

 magnis P. utriguloi exemplis persimilis, sed colore obscuriore, 

 atque minus striato dignoscendus. 



Habitat in saltibus subhiraalayanis infra oppidum " Naini 

 Tal '' dictum. 



EXPLAXATIO^' OF PLATE I. 



Ploceus megarhynchus. 



Fig. A. Male in summer plumage. 



B. The same bird in undre«s phmiage. 

 Both figures are taken from sketches made at Calcutta, from the li^■ing 

 bird, by A. C. Chowdhary. 



