334 PLOCEPASSER RUFOSCAPULATUS 



In Central North-east Africa the type was discovered by 

 Riippell in Kordofan, where he found the species abundant, 

 and Mr. Jackson has met with it close to the Equator in the 

 Kamassia range of mountains, where it was plentiful and 

 breeding iu August. 



In Shoa specimens have been collected by Harris, Antinori 

 and Eao-azze, and it is generally distributed over Abyssinia, 

 having been met with in the south by Lord Lovat at Laga 

 Hardem, and by Heuglin on the Blue and White Niles, in 

 Sennar, Bogos and Takar; but according to the latter naturalist 

 it does not occur in the highlands above 6,000 feet. Their 

 nests were artistically constructed of grass, lined with feathers 

 and soft material, and were hung in groups from acacias at 

 15 to 25 feet from the ground. Two eggs he took from a 

 nest, September 24, are described as having thin shells, were 

 reddish white, with rosy red spots inclining to form a zone 

 near the thick end, and measured 0-88 x 0-58. The egg is 

 figured, Heug. Orn. N. 0. Afr. pi. 48, fig. 1. 



Plocepasser rufoscapulatus. 



Plocepasser rufoscapulatus, Biittik. Notes Leyd. Mus. 1888, p. 238, pi. 9, 

 fig. 2 Easinga B. ; Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii. p. 248 (1890) ; Shelley, 

 B. Afr. I. No. 473 (1896) ; Reichen. Yog. Afr. iii. p. 15 (1904). 



Type. Head and neck ashy bufif ; the crown entirely surrounded by a 

 black marginal band separating it from the broad pale eyebrows ; another 

 less strongly defined black band from the forehead dips under the eye, and 

 margins the upper part and back of the ear-coverts, a third distinct black 

 band extends down the side of the throat ; mantle deep cinnamon, passing 

 into ashy brown on the lower back and upper tail-coverts ; tail uniform light 

 brown ; wings blackish brown, with the lesser coverts cinnamon like the 

 mantle ; median and greater coverts with broad terminal white edges ; widest 

 on the median coverts, and forming two bars on the wing ; quills margined 

 with light brown, broadest and more sandy buff on the inner secondaries ; 

 under wing-coverts whitish ash, inner edges of quills sandy buff; chin and 

 upper throat white ; remainder of the under parts ashy white, with a sandy 

 shade in front and darker ash on the flanks. Iris dark brown ; bill pale 



