496 CLASS XVI. 



the first very short, fourth mostly longest in almost all. Tail short 

 or moderate, subeven or romided. Tarsus equalling or surpassing 

 in length the middle toe. 



Birds of -warm countries of the eastern hemisphere, which build an 

 artistic nest of grass, stems and fibres of leaves. Linnaeus arranged the 

 species known to him under his genus Loxia. Sp. Ploceus philippinus, 

 Loxia pMlippina L., Buff. PI. enl. 135, fig. 1 ; Bengal, Java, the 

 Philippine Islands ; the bag-like nest with lateral entrance is suspended 

 on branches of trees ; see a figure in Beisson Ornith. iii. PI. 1 8 ; — Ploceus 

 pensills, Loxia pensiUs Gm. ; Sonnerat Vot/. aux Ind. Or. PI. 109, from 

 Madagascar, &c. Comp. De Lapbesnate Sw la nidification de quelques 

 especes d'oiseaux de la famille des Tesserins, Guerin Revue et Magas. de 

 Zool. 1850, pp. 315 — 326, PI. 5, 6. The species referred to belong to the 

 sub-genus Euplcctes of Swainson, who comprises the species with a longer 

 bill (viz. which almost equals the length of the head) under the genus 

 Ploceus proper {Uyphantornis Gray). On other sub-divisions and names 

 consult Gray Gen. of Birds, 11. pp. 350 and foil. 



Pyrenestes SwAiNS. 



Sp. Loxia ostrina Vieill., Pyrenestes sanguineus Swains. Birds of W. 

 Africa, I. PI. 9. 



Vidua Cuv. Bill short, conical, with culmen produced amongst 

 the plumes of forehead. Nostrils basal, covered by plumes. Wings 

 with ten primaries, the first very small, third, fourth and fifth 

 subequal, longest of all. Tarsus equalling or surpassing middle 

 toe. Tail in males elongate or very long. 



a) With tail-coverts elongate. Vidua Rueppell, Caban., Chera Gray. 



Sp. Vidua longicauda, Chera progne Gray, Eniberiza longicauda Gm., Buff. 

 PI. enl. 635, Less. Ornith. PI. 59, fig. i, Guerin Iconogr., Ois. PI. 19, 

 fig. I. 



b) With middle tail-feathers very long. Coliuspasser Eueppell, Penthe- 

 tria Caban. 



Sp. Vidua principalis Cuv., Eniberiza serena L. (and Emb. vidua and Enib. 

 principalis ejusd.), Vidua erythrorhyncha Swains., Buff. PI. enl. 8, fig. 2, 

 Swains. Birds of W. Africa, i. PL 12 ; — Vidua paradiscea, Eniberiza 

 paradiscea L., Buff. PI. enl. 194 ; — Vidua macroura, Loxia macroura 

 Gmel., Buff. PI. enl. 183, fig. 1, Coliuspasser flavoscapidatus Rueppell, 

 &c. All the species are African. 



Amadina SwAiNSON, Sporothlastes Caban. Bill short, conical, 

 with culmen rounded, curved, produced into an acute angle amongst 

 the feathers of forehead. Nostrils at the posterior margin of bill, 

 covered by plumes of forehead. Wings with ten primaries, the 



