obtained in British East Africa. 597 



fiocks of Vidua principalis and V, hypocherina were also 

 present, but each species kept apart from the others. Small 

 flocks of Steganura paradisea were also observed. 



I was fortunate enongli to procure the female of the Linura, 

 which is, I believe, hitherto undescribed. As might have been 

 expected, it is very similar to the hen of Vidua principalis, 

 but has an almost uniform reddish-brown head, with no 

 lateral black bands, and the soft parts are akin to those of the 

 male, as will be seen by the following note which I made at 

 tlie time : — " Bill dull pink; feet pale dusky pink ; iris brown/^ 

 The adult males have the iris brown, the feet bright 

 coral-red, and the bill dull coral-red. 



The female had an eg^ inside her, and it was evident that 

 the birds were either breeding or about to breed. The males 

 were also in fine plumage, exceedingly black on the back, 

 with scarcely any traces of sandy margins to the feathers. 



I had previously seen this species only in the Kilimanjaro 

 district. 



21. Steganura paradisea. 



Steganura paradisea (L.) ; Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xiii. 

 p. 211 (1890); Reichen. Vog. deutsch. Ost-Afrikas, p. 192 

 (1890). 



Vidua paradisea Shelley, B. Africa, i. p. 23 (1896). 

 a, b. Nos. 93, 96. 6. Ungazunga, Teita, April 5, 1892. 

 Feet brown ; bill black ; iris brown. 



This beautiful little bird is very plentiful on the coast, and 

 I have also seen it in the Kilimanjaro district and as far 

 north as Lake Baringo. It is generally found in the vicinity 

 of ''shambas " cultivations. 

 22. Chera progne. 



Chera progne (Bodd.) ; Sharpe, Ibis, 1891, p. 244. 

 Coliopasser progne Shelley, B. Africa, i. p. 23 (1896). 

 Nos. 73, 74, 75. S. Swamp north of Lake Elmateita, 

 April 23-25, 1896. Several small flocks, in which the 

 number of females predominated, seen in the long grass on 

 the edge of the swamp. 



No. 79. 6 . Ravine, April 25, 1896. On the edge of the 

 large swamp below the Ravine to the east. 



SER. VII. VOL. V. 3 s 



