302 AMBLYOSPIZA 



trees near water. Their call-note is a chirp, but their song, 

 though weak, resembles that of our Goldfinch. The eggs, 

 according to Emin, ai'e of a greyish green colour, with darker 

 lengthened blotches, which blotches, Mr. Kuschel informs us, 

 sometimes spread over the whole surface and give them a 

 uniform apjjearance ; they measure on an average 0'64 x 0'48. 

 In the British Museum there are three specimens collected 

 at Redjaf by Kmin, who also met with the species at Lado, but 

 considered it uncommon there. Mr. Jackson obtained a male 

 and female at Elgeyu in July, and writes: "Found breeding 

 in an acacia. Makes a large nest of dry grass, not unlike that 

 of our common Sparrow." At Kadem, in Kavirondo, Mr. 

 Oscar Neumann procured a male in March, and remarks that 

 it, and the birds he has examined from Kordofan, agree per- 

 fectly in colouring, but that the specimens collected in Ugogo, 

 by Emin at Msanga, and by Bohm at Mounwi, represent a 

 southern subspecies, which he names 8. frontalis emini. This 

 form he characterises by its much paler neck -band and obscure 

 white edges to the black feathers of the back of the head. I 

 have not seen a specimen from the Ugogo distinct, but Dr. 

 Reichenow does not admit a southern subspecies oi 8. frontalis, 

 and he must have compared the types of 8. frontalis emini, as 

 they are in the Berlin Museum. 



Genus IV. AMBLYOSPIZA. 



Bill, Grosbeak-like, very stout, deeper than broad, compressed at the 

 sides, and grooved on each side of the culmenal ridge, which extends back 

 beyond the centre of the eyes ; cumlen and tarsus equal in length ; chin- 

 angle very broad and square ; nasal orifices exposed. Primaries 3, 4 and 

 5 longest, 1 (about 1 inch) one-third of the longest. Tail rounded, nearly 

 square. Tarsi and feet moderate ; claws rather long. A few hair-like 

 plumes on the back of head and hind neck. Sexes dissimilar ; males with a 

 white speculum, formed by the base of the primaries, and with a white 

 forehead in adult; females with the breast striped. No red or yellow on 

 the plumage. 



