7 
AMADINA ERYTHROCEPHALA 127 
all but the centre feathers extending over the outer webs of the external 
pair; front and sides of the upper neck white, shading into ashy brown on 
the lower half of the sides of the neck; lower throat, breast, thighs and 
under tail-coverts white, all the feathers of the chest and flanks with ter- 
minal edges and bars of black; lower chest and sides of the abdomen 
mottled with cinnamon ; under tail-coverts with dusky bases, separated from 
the broad white ends by black bars. ‘‘ Iris brown; bill brownish; legs and 
feet flesh-colour” (Stark). Total length 5 inches, culmen 0-5, wing 2°8, 
tail 2:0, tarsus 0-6. ¢g,18.6.77. Bloemfontein (Exton). 
Adult female. Differs in having the upper part and sides of the head 
ashy, with the edges of the feathers near the nape washed with crimson, 
the throat brownish buff with narrow brown bars, and more white and less 
rufous on the breast. Wing 2:9. Latakoo (A. Smith). 
The Red-headed Ribbon-Waxbill inhabits Southern Africa 
south from Angola and Matabeleland. 
The type probably came from Angola, as Hdwards and 
Brisson supposed, for the species has been since procured at 
Loango, according to Prof. Bocage, and also by Welwitsch 
near Bengo. Anchieta procured specimens at Benguela and 
Humbe, and in the former district he found it to be abundant 
at Catumbella; with regard to the native names he gives they 
are not of much use, for according to his notes the present 
species is known to them in the town of Benguela as both 
** Niquerequere” and “ Junga.” 
Andersson writes: “This pretty bird occurs in Great 
Namaqualand and at Lake Ngami, also in Damaraland, where, 
however, it is far from common, except in places, being, 
in fact, quite a local species. I found it congregated in large 
flocks on the Omaruru River at the end of October; and it was 
also pretty numerous at Otjimbinque, where it nested under 
the eaves of my house and in the adjacent trees in company 
with the South African Sparrow (Passer arcuatus), which it 
exactly resembles in its manners and habits ; and I have found 
the nests of the two species on the same tree, and even on the 
same bough, as well as side by side under my eaves. The 
present species forms its nest of small sticks, slender roots, 
