224 SERINUS LEUCOPTERDS. 



common weed. Towards the end of the month the females 

 lay three or four eggs of a very faint bluisli white, some- 

 times plain, more often sparingly marked at the large end 

 with one or two spots or hair-like streaks of deep purplish 

 black. They average 0-80 x 0-60. 



" Both the male and female sit very close on their eggs, and 

 defend their nest valiantly against aggressors. On almost 

 every occasion on which I have inspected a nest of this bird I 

 have had my fingers pecked for my pains, and with their 

 powerful bills they can inflict a severe bite. On one occasion 

 I saw a pair of these Finches attack a large snake with great 

 coui'age and success. 



" The young are fed on insects and macerated seeds from 

 the crops of the old birds. They remain in the nest for a little 

 more than a month." 



Serinus leucopterus. 



Crithagra leucoptera, Sharpe, Ann. and Mag. N. H. (4) viii. p. 235 (1871) 



S. Afr. 

 Serinus leucopterus, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xii. p. 361, pi. 9 (1888) S. Afr.; 



Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 291 (1896) ; Stark, Faun. S. Afr. B. i. p. 177 



(1900). 



Type. Upper parts earthy brown with a trace of white on the forehead ; 

 crown more distinctly mottled, with dark centres to the feathers, than the 

 mantle ; lower back and upper tail-coverts uniform with a shght ashy yellow 

 shade on the rump. "Wing dark brown, with narrow brownish white edges 

 widening out into white terminal bands on the median and greater coverts 

 and the inner secondaries. Tail feathers narrowly edged with brownish 

 white. Under surface of wing dark brown with the inner edges of the quills 

 and the under coverts paler ashy brown ; sides of the head and sides of the 

 throat uniform earthy brown ; chin and throat white mottled with blackish 

 brown on the upper half of the throat ; lower throat and breast earthy brown 

 fading into buff down the centre of the breast, abdomen and under tail- 

 coverts, the latter with brown centres. Total length 5-8 inches, culmen 0'5, 

 wing 2-8, tail 2, tarsus 0-7. S. Africa (Layard). 



