ITbc (Slncen MhvDab. 



(Vidua legia.J 

 By WESr.EY T. Page, F.Z.S. 



This species, to my mind, one of the finest of this 

 interesting group, is of a handsome and striking 

 appearance ; its well contrasted plumage of black, 

 tawny, white and buff being very glossy, silken, and 

 rich in colour. Its fine caudal plumes (about sin.) 

 are bare for almost three parts their length, the re- 

 maining portion being webl^ed on both sides the shaft, 

 and are of a racquet- or paddle-shaped form ; this is 

 clearly brought out in Mr. Goodchild's characteristic 

 line drawing. In the Western Aviary at the Zoo. there 

 are several of these striking birds in the enclosure 

 devoted to Whydahs, where they have a fine and 

 striking appearance as they disport themselves among 

 the branches in both a graceful and fascinating man- 

 ner. It is very noticeable when comparing them with 

 V. paradisea, that the flight is not so heavy and that 

 their long tails do not impede their flight to any appre- 

 ciable extent. They have not much song to boast of, 

 but what there is of it, is not so scratchy in tone as that 

 of the majority of this group. It has an exceptionally 

 fine appearance in an outdoor aviary among growing 

 plants and bushes. 



Plumage: Adult male. In full colour, has the 

 crown, back, wing coverts, secondaries and four cen- 

 tral tail feathers, velvety-black ; outer tail feathers, 

 brown with a white spot near the end of inner web ; 

 primaries and primary coverts, brown edged with' 

 whitish ; there is a tawny band or collar round the 

 back of the neck ; the sides of neck, cheeks, and under 

 surface of body, warm tavvuy-buff; sides, flanks, and 



