172 LINURGUS IIUFIBRUNNEUS. 



nearly straight from the base to the tip. Nostrils hidden. Wing somewhat 

 rounded ; first primary slightly shorter than the next three ; shortest 

 secondary falling short of the tip of the wing by rather less than the length 

 of the tarsus. Hind toe about two-thirds of the length of the middle toe ; 

 the latter being about equal in length to the tarsus, which is of about the 

 same size as in all the Ethiopian members of this family. 



Type. 

 Linurgus, Eeichenb. Syst. Av. pi. 78, tig. 9 (1850) . . . L. olivaceus. 

 Phccospiza, Bocage, Jorn. Lisb. 1888, p. 148 . . . . L. thomensis 

 Hyphantospiza, Eeichen. J. f. O. 1892, p. 222 . . . . L. olivaceus. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



, Plumage nearly uniform tawny brown, darker 



above than below. 

 a^. Of a more rufous shade ; throat and breast 



rusty brown rufibrunneus. 



h'^. Of a less rufous shade; throat and breast 



buffy brown lliomensis. 



. Under surface of body yellow ; back uniform 

 olive ; head, in adult males entirely black, 

 in females and young dusky olive. 



c^. Bill longer olivaceus. 



d^. Bill shorter kilimensis. 



Linurgus rufibrunneus. 



Linurgus rufobrunnea, Gray, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) x. p. 444 (1862) 

 W. Afr. 



Poliospiza rutibrunnea, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii. p. 346, pi. 6 (1888) 

 Prince's Is. ; Shelley B. Afr. I. No. 278 (1896). 



Buserinus rufilatus, Hartl. P. Z. S. 1866, p. 328 Prince's Is. 



A'lult. Upper parts rufous brown, partially mottled with dark centres 

 to the feathers of the crown, back of neck and mantle ; wings and tail dark 

 brown with paler and more rufous edges to the feathers ; sides of head dark 

 tawny brown ; under parts moderately pale rusty brown, rather darker on 

 the lower throat and sides of the body, where the dark centres of the feathers 

 are partially visible ; under wing-coverts rusty brown like the breast. Iris 

 brown ; bill dark brown with the under mandible pale ; tarsi and feet brown. 

 Total length 5-3 inches, culmen 0'5, wing 31, tail 1-7, tarsus 0-8. <J , 

 11. 8. 95. Prince's Is. (Keulemans). 



Jl 



