FOUDIA :MADArTASCARIKNSIS 489 



chelles ; Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 497 (1896) ; Nehrkovn, Kat. Eiors. 

 p. 129 (1899) egg; Oberholser, Proc. U. S. Mus. xxii. p. 246 (1900) 

 Madagascar. 

 Ploceus madagascariensis, Milne, Edw. and Grand. Hist. Madag. Ois. 

 p. 449, pis. Ilia, fig. 3 ; 181, 182, 304, fig. 9 egg (1885). 



Male in fjill plumage. Scarlet shaded vermilion ; a black patch 

 encircling the eye ; mantle with broad black shaft-bands to the feathers ; 

 tail-feathers dark brown, with obsolete narrow olive edges, inclining to red 

 on the centre j)air ; wings dark brown, with very narrow olive edges to the 

 feathers, excepting the median coverts which have broad buiJ terminal 

 margins ; under wing-coverts buff, and the inner edges of the quills whitish. 

 Iris brown ; bill black ; tarsi and feet flesh-colour. Total length 5 inches, 

 culmen 0-55, wing 2-7, tail 2-0, tarsus 0-8. {Seralalam Brit. Mus.). 



Adult female. No red on the plumage; upper parts olive brown, mantle 

 with broad blackish shaft-bands to the feathers, and obscure, narrow, dark 

 stripes on the crown and hind neck ; wings and tail as in the male ; sides of 

 head and the under parts brownish buff, inclining to white down the centre 

 of the breast. Iris brown ; bill pale brown ; slightly darker towards the 

 culmen; tarsi and feet flesh-colour. Wing 2-4. 2, 2. 81, Ankafana 

 (Cowen) . 



The Madagascar Fody inhabits Madagascar, Reuniou, 

 Mauritius and raauy of the ishuids of the Seychelles Archi- 

 pelago, and has been introduced on St. Helena. 



I see no good reason for supposing that it is not a native 

 of all the islands of the Pacific Ocean where it is known to 

 occur. It is a different matter with St. Helena, there it has 

 fairly recently established itself, and multiplied to such an 

 extent that it has become a nuisance to the fanners. 



The plumage differs greatly according to the ses and 

 season ; there is also a beautiful variety with bright golden 

 yellow instead of red on the plumage, which is apparently of 

 no uncommon occurrence both in Madagascar and St. Helena. 

 The breeding plumage, M. Grandidier informs us, is assumed 

 in October, when the colour of the bill in the male also changes 

 from brown to black. They do not frequent the forests, but 

 are otherwise distributed over Madagascar, and as soon as the 

 breeding season is finished, assemble in large flocks to feed in 



