424 HYPHANTORNIS CUCULLATUS 



Ploceus cucullatus, Eeichen. Vog. Afr. iii. p. 59 (1904). 



Oriolus textor, Gm. S. N. i. p. 390 (1788) Senegal. 



Fringilla longirostris, Vieill. Euc. Meth. iii. p. 951 (1823). 



Ploceus senegalensis, Steph. Gen. Zool. xiv. p. 34 (1826). 



Ploceus modestus, Hartl. Rev. Zool. 1845, p. 406 ( ? ). 



" Hyphantornis magnirostris, Verr." Hartl. Orn.W. Afr. p. 127(1857, 2) 

 Senegal. 



Hyphantornis gambiensis, Heugl. Orn. N. O. Afr. p. 552 (1871). 



Adult male. Head and upper throat jet black, the black extending be- 

 yond the ear-coverts and ending in a point on the lower throat, and is 

 margined all round with dark rufous brown, which latter colour extends over 

 the entire hind neck and upper half of the sides of the neck ; back bright 

 yellow, with a broad uniform black patch on each side from the base of the 

 neck and meeting on the middle back ; upper tail-coverts mostly yellowish 

 olive like the tail, but the feathers of the latter have pale yellow inner 

 margins ; wings blackish, with broad yellow terminal edges to the coverts ; 

 the edges to the primai-y-coverts and quills more olive yellow, becoming 

 bright yellow on the inner secondaries ; under wing-coverts and broad inner 

 margins to the quills pale bright yellow ; lower throat, breast, thighs and 

 under tail-coverts bright golden yellow, with a slight rufous tinge on the 

 front and sides of the breast and margined with deep rufous brown next to 

 the black of the throat. Iris crimson ; bill black ; tarsi and feet flesh- 

 colour. Total length 6-2 inches, culmen 0-85, wing 3-5, tail 2-2, tarsus 10. 

 Niger (Hey wood). 



Adult female. Forehead, crown and upper tail-coverts olive yellow ; 

 back and sides of neck and the back ashy brown, with slightly darker brown 

 centres to the feathers of the mantle ; wings and tail similar to those of the 

 full plumaged male but slightly paler ; ear-coverts shaded with olive ; eye- 

 brow, remainder of sides of head, chin, throat, breast, thighs, and under 

 tail-coverts pale yellow, fading into white on the abdomen and fianks. Bill 

 brown, fading into flesh-colour on the under half of the lower mandible. 

 Wing 3-2. 2 , 12. 12. 02, Fernando Po (Alexander). 



The Western Black and Yellow-mantled Weaver inhabits 

 West Africa from Senegambia to Gaboon. 



The well-marked group to which this species belongs 

 comprises two other nearly allied forms, as similar in habits as 

 they are in their plumage. These are U. bohnJorffi, ranging 

 from Camaroons into Angola, and H. aby.ssinicns, the represen- 

 tative Weaver in North-east and Central Africa, ranging west- 

 ward into the Northern Congo district. 



