Birds from British East Africa. 681 



18. Pytelta nitidula. (Plate XI.) 



Estrelda nitidula Hartl. Ibis, 1865, p. 269 [Natal]. 



Hyparyos nitidulus Shelley, B. of A. iv. p. 242 (1905). 



a. [J] imm. Mombasa, Oct. 1901. 



The British Museum possesses an immature male of this 

 very rare species procured at Durban by Gordge, which is, 

 no doubt, a typical example of P. nitidula (Hartlaub). 

 This specimen is apparently of the same species as the bird 

 procured by Mr. Percival at Mombasa, but the latter is much 

 more nearly mature. In Mr. Jackson's collection there are 

 four examples of the same species obtained at Entebbe and 

 Marsabit, including an adult pair and two immature birds. 



The evidence before us seems clearly to indicate that the 

 East African examples are of the same species as the bird 

 from Natal, but without adult specimens from the latter 

 locality for comparison it is impossible to be quite certain on 

 this point. 



The description of the adult male and female is as 

 follows : — 



Adult male. — Closely allied to P. schlegeli Sharpe, from 

 West Africa, but with a less robust bill and a straighter 

 culmen : the scarlet area round the eye and on the throat is 

 much less intense in colour and much more restricted, and 

 there is only a wash of scarlet on the olive-green chest, 

 whereas in P. schlegeli the chest is mostly vermilion. The 

 colour of the upper parts is dull olive, not golden-olive. 

 The bill in dried skins appears to be nearly uniform black, 

 only the tip of the lower mandible being reddish ; in 

 P. schlegeli the bill is bluish at the base, and the tips of both 

 mandibles as well as the greater part of the lower are rose- 

 colour. 



Total length 4 inches ; wing 2'0 ; tail 14 ; tarsus 0'6. 



Adult female. — Differs from the male in having the lores 

 and the area round the eyes, as well as the chin and throat, 

 light cinnamon, the middle of the chest and breast being of 

 the same colour ; the under tail-coverts are pale yellowish- 

 buff, instead of olive-green. 



Total length 4'0 inches; wing 2"0 ; tail 1*2 ; tarsus 0*6. 



