186 1 BIRDS OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



hood of its nesting-place, but never strays away from that locality. 

 Nest like that of Loxia Capensis. Eggs four or five ; pure, light blue : 

 axis, 10'" ; diam., 7'". Builds in thousands about the swamps and 

 river running out of Zoetendals Vley. 



370. PlOCeUS Lathamii ; Loxia Lathamii, Smith, 

 App. Rept, of Exped., p. 51. 



Ab0VE, brown ; interscapulars and wing-covers edged, and 

 tipped with pale rufous or rusty white ; chin, middle of belly, 

 and vent, white ; breast and sides of belly, rusty-white, 

 faintly clouded with brown. Length, 4". 



" Inhabits the country near to and beyond Kurrichane." — Dr. A. 

 Smith, loc. cit. 



This name was probably sunk in some other by Dr. Smith, as I 

 cannot find reference to it in any of the works consulted by me. 

 Another species quoted by Shaw, Vol. 9, PI. 2, p. 320, as from the 

 Cape of Good Hope, under the name of Loxia Aurantia, the *' Orange 

 Grosbeak," is a South American bird, viz., Spermophila Aurantia, 

 Vieil., Ois. Chant., p. 44. 



Genus PHILET.^RUS, A. Smith. 

 Bill more compressed than in Ploceus, with the culmen 

 slightly arched from the base, and the lateral margins 

 sinuated ; wings moderate, reaching to about the middle of 

 the tail, with the first quill very short, almost rudimentary, 

 the second, third, and fourth nearly of equal length, and 

 longest ; tail somewhat rounded at the end ; tarsi strong, 

 shielded by transverse scales ; toes moderate, the outer and 

 inner toes nearly of equal length ; claws much curved and 

 acute. 



371. PhiletserUS SdCiUS. (Lath.) Euplectes Lepi- 

 dus, Swain., An. in Menag., p. 309 ; Philetcerus 

 Lepidus, Smith, Zool. S. A., p. 8 ; Loxia Socia, Lath. ; 

 Cuv., Vol. 2, p. 133; Social Grosbeak, Paterson's 

 Voyage, PI. 19. 



Flanks with a blackish patch, the feathers of which are 

 margined with whitish ; chin black ; plumage above, drab- 

 brown ; the margins of all the feathers, and the whole of the 

 under parts, pale isabella. Length, 5" ; wing, 3" ; tail, 2". 



Inhabits South Africa. — Swainson, loc. cit. 



This bird is most abundant in the Interior. Dr. Smith looks upon 

 Latakoo as its metropolis ; but I have heard of it in great numbers all 

 over Daraaraland, and even as low down as Namaqualand. Being the 

 builder of the huge nests so often mentioned by travellers, it is well 

 known. Eggs three or four, blueish-white, mottled at the large end 

 •"■'fh small brown dots. Feeds on seeds and insects. 



