XANTHOPHILUS 4G1 



Genus XXIII. XANTHOPHILUS. 



Similar to Hijphantornis and Ploceus in its general cliaracters, but is 

 distinguished from all the previously mentioned allied genera by neither sex 

 having either a black band through the eye or the sides of the head black, 

 and from Ploceus in the colouring of the breast and under tail-coverts being 

 bright yellow or white. The sexes are often alike in plumage at all times of 

 the year. 



Ty2)c. 



Xanthophilus, Reicheub. Singv. p. S4 (1863) X. bogerl. 



Oriolinus, Reichenb. l.c X. siihaurcus. 



The genus is confined to Tropical and South Africa, and comprises 

 sixteen species. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



a. Bill proportionately longer and more slender, 

 rt'^. Larger; wing not less than 3'J: inches. 



a-. Culmen straighter. 



rt'\ Bill slightly longer, culmen less curved, hinder 

 part of crown olive like the back, 

 ft*. Head and neck with no rufous shade .... capansiH. '^ t v, 

 i*. Head and throat shaded with rufous .... olivacaas. >, (. r- 

 h'K Bill slightly shorter ; culmen more curved, entire 

 crown yellow, contrasting sharply with the olive 



of the hind neck temporalis. ^- (' 'f- 



h'-. Culmen more curved ; in males, crown and hind 



neck chestnut ; in females, abdomen white . . . princeps. ' ■ ■ '■ 

 b^ . Smaller ; wing not more than 3 inches. 



C-. Back and more than half of the wings clear yellow ; 



cheeks and throat brown xanthoptcrus. '' i 



d'^. Upper parts less yellow, 

 c^. Yellow parts of a less orange shade ; no black 

 feathers in front of the eyes. 



c*. Chin and throat brown castaiiops. ^ 



d*. Chin and upper throat olive like the head and 



back oUvacciccps. '" f 



tZ". Head, neck and breast orange yellow, with a few 



black feathers in front of the eyes aurantiua. 



b. Bill stouter. 



c^. Smaller; wing not more than 3 inches. 

 C-. Upper parts less yellow, 

 e^. Entire head and neck chestnut dicrocephalus. ^ 



