SERINUS NIGRICEPS. IBl 



Seriaus nigriceps. 



Serinus nigriceps, Riipp. N. Wirb. Vog. p. 96, pi. 34, fig. 2 (1835-40) 



Abyssinia. 

 Chrysomifcris nigi-iceps, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii. p. 222 (1888) Abyssinia ; 



Salvad. Ann. Mus. Genov. 1888, p. 274 Shoa ; Hartert, Kat. Vog. 



Mus. Senck. p. 58 (1891); Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 248 (1896); 



Nehrkorn, Kat. Eiers. p. 107 (1899) egg ; Grant, Ibis, 1900, p. 134 ; 



id. and Eeid, 1901, p. 621 S. Abyssinia. 

 Adult male. Entire head and throat jet black ; sides and back of neck, 

 upper back and upper tail-coverts dull yellow inclining to dusky brown 

 towards the centres of the feathers; lower back uniform, rather brighter 

 yellow ; most of the scapulars and the lesser wing-coverts pale yellow. 

 Wings black, with broad yellowish buff terminal margins to the median and 

 greater coverts forming two diagonal bars ; quills tipped with white shading 

 into yellow on the outer edges of the feathers, which edges are very narrow 

 on the primaries ; primary-coverts with incomplete narrow white edges ; 

 under surface of quills with their inner edges whitish ash ; under-coverts 

 whitish ash washed with dull yellow, of the same colour as the chest ; 

 abdomen slightly brighter yellow; thighs brownish buff ; under tail-coverta 

 yellowish white. Tail black with very narrow whitish edges. " Iris brown ; 

 bill and feet blackish." Total length 4-9 inches, culmen 0-35, wing 31, 

 tail 2, tarsus 0-65. $ ,5.1. 1901. Adis Ababa (Pease). 



Adult female. Differs in having no jet black on the head, which is olive 

 brown like the mantle, but with the forehead and front half of the crown 

 dusky blackish ; head, neck and mantle slightly mottled with dark shaft- 

 stripes. Total length 4-8 inches, culmen 0-35, wing 2-7, tail 2, tarsus 065. 

 ? , 5. 1. 1901. Adis Ababa (Pease). 



The Abyssinian Black-headed Canary inhabits North-east 

 Africa. 



Lord Lovat and Mr. Pease found the species abundant 

 on the cultivated ground of Gallaland and Southern Abyssinia, 

 where specimens have also been collected by Antinori and Dr. 

 Ragazzi. Heuglin records it as a lively bird, with a true Siskin- 

 like song, and met with it in Gallaland and the highlands of 

 Abyssinia, up to 12,000 feet, frequenting the farm-lands for its 

 food. Dr. Blanford writes : " Only seen at considerable eleva- 

 tions, but very common on the passes above 9,000 feet. It 

 appears to belong to the subalpine fauna, though a specimen 

 was shot by my collector at Adigrat. It was always met with 



