ESTRILDIN © 121 
KEY TO THE GENERA. 
a. Nostrils exposed. 
a’. Wing pointed, end of inner primary falling short of 
tip of wing by not less than length of tarsus. 
a. Tail short and rounded ; inner primary falling short 
of tip of wing by more than length of tarsus; males 
with red on head OWN 5 a . Amadina. | 
b?. Tail square; inner primary falling short ae fp of 
wing by length of tarsus; no red on plumage . . Philetairus. | 
bt. Wing rounded; bill more flattened, broader than deep Nigrita. y 
b. Nostrils hidden by frontal feathers. 
c!. Second primary one of the longest. 
c?. Tail fairly long and slightly graduated, with the 
centre pair of feathers more elongated and pointed. 
a®. Claws less curved; bill and legs pink; back uni- 
form grey; quills broad . . . . 1. Padda. p:t% 
b3. Claws much curved; bill and legs brown ; head 
and upper throat freckled. . . . . . . . . Uroloncha. | 
d?, Tail short and evenly rounded. 
c®. Outstretched feet extending beyond the tail ; 
culmen nearly straight. . . Ortygospiza. PISS 
. Outstretched feet not reseling 0 end a tail: 
culmen curved . . _ . . . . Spermestes. | 
dt. Second primary shorter teen the An 
e?, Bill less powerful; no tooth-like projection on the 
cutting edge of the bill. 
e8. Back and upper tail-coverts olive ; breast grey or 
mostly so; no spots nor bars. 
a*, Bill very small and narrow; tail short and 
rounded, not extending beyond the outstretched 
iCCi ee ar ee eee ce ks = ly i, LNeSOCharis., Fp ae 
b+. Bill stout; tail graduated and extending well 
beyond the outstretched feet. . . . Chlorestrilda. 4, ) >, 
/®. Upper tail-coverts never olive when the breast 
is mostly grey and the plumage unspotted. 
c+, Little or no crimson on the wings. 
a®. First long primary entire, not narrowed 
towards the end. 
a®. Upper tail-coverts blue; tail longer than 
the wing and strongly graduated. . . . Ureginthus. »./ 7? 
b&, Upper tail-coverts never blue. 
a7, Bill forming on forehead a right angle ; 
spots when present on plumage small 
and confined to sides of breast. 
