84 PYROMELANA TAHA 
a small form of P. taha with smaller measurements.” Mr. 
Jackson first met with these birds breeding in small numbers 
in a swamp two marches south of Doreta in Masailand, and 
also in the Eldoma Ravine; about the middle of September 
they were nesting in long grass. At Lake Rudolf Dr. 
Donaldson Smith procured a male in the brown mottled 
plumage in December, 1899, which may belong to either 
P. ladoensis or P. stricta, as the two forms probably meet 
in this district. 
Pyromelana taha. 
Euplectes taha, Smith, Rep. Exped. Centr. Afr. 1836, p. 50 Kurrichaine, 
g ; id. Ill. Zool. §. Afr. Aves. pl. 7 (1838). 
Pyromelana taha, Cat. B. M. xiii. p. 242 (1890); Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 
349 (1896) ; Nehrkorn, Kat. Hiers. p. 124 (1899) egg ; Reichen, Vég. 
Afr. iii. p. 114 (1904). 
Ploceus dubius, Smith, Rep. Exped. Centr. Afr. 1836, p. 50 Kurrichaine, ° . 
Adult male. Forehead, crown, nape, back, upper and under tail-coverts, 
sides of abdomen and the vent bright canary yellow; a broad black band 
across the hind neck joining on to the black sides of the mantle, which latter 
has the black feathers partially edged with yellow. Wings and tail dark 
brown, with very narrow brownish buff edges to the feathers; under surface 
of wings pale dusky brown, with the inner margins of the quills and the 
coverts brownish buff, fading into white towards the bend of the wing; 
sides of head, chin, throat, chest and centre of the abdomen jet black, with 
a patch of yellow on each side of the chest next to the crop. ‘“ Iris brown ; 
bill black ; tarsi and feet dusky brown.” Total length 4-5 inches, culmen 0:5, 
wing 2:4, tail 1:4, tarsus 0:65. 3, Transvaal (T. Ayres). 
Adult female. Upper parts mottled dark brown, with pale brown edges 
to the feathers ; a broad buff eyebrow; under parts buffy white, shaded with 
brown on the lower throat, front of chest and flanks, which parts are 
strongly marked with dark brown shaft-stripes of an angular form on the 
crop and front of the chest; under wing-coverts sandy buff; quills brown, 
with buff inner margins. ‘Iris light brown; upper mandible light dusky 
brown, lower one paler; tarsi and feet light dusky brown.’’ Length 4:0 
inches, culmen 0:5, wing 2-4, tail 1:5, tarsus 0°65. ¢@,12.6.79. Potchef- 
stroom (T. Ayres). 
Male adult in winter plumage. Exactly like the female. ‘‘ Bill light 
