ESTRILDA ASTRILD 195 
nostril and gape to the upper portion of the ear-coverts and surrounding 
the eye; under parts sandy buff, whiter towards the bill, slightly greyer on 
the ear-coverts and of a pinkish shade on the throat; lower throat and 
sides of body with numerous narrow dusky bars; centre of breast rosy 
vermilion ; lower abdomen and under tail-coverts black ; under wing-coverts 
and edges of the quills isabelline buff. Iris brown; bill red; tarsi and feet 
brown. Total length 4:7 inches, culmen 0:35, wing 2:05; tail 2-4, tarsus 
0:55. g, 4.6.81. Newcastle (Butler). 
Adult female. Slightly paler, with scarcely any trace of red on the 
breast. ?,27.1.74, Ceres. (Shelley). 
Type of E. cavendishi. Differs from the Newcastle specimen above 
described in the plumage being considerably darker both above and beneath. 
Wing 1°8, tail 1-9. 3,15. 9.98. Mapicuti (Cavendish). 
E. damarensis. Differs from the female above described in being paler 
and in having a slight shade of crimson on the upper tail-coverts. ¢, 
16. 4.65. Damaraland (Andersson). 
Type of E. sancte-helene. Differs from the Newcastle specimen above 
described in having the upper tail-coverts and basal portion of the outer 
webs of the tail-feathers strongly washed with crimson. 4. 1. 74. St. 
Helena (Shelley). 
The various forms of the Common Waxbill inclusively 
inhabit Tropical and South Africa southward from Sierre 
Leone and Abyssinia, also many of the surrounding islands. 
In my key I have distinguished nine named forms; but 
out of these I recognise four only as distinct species, H. astrild 
(South Africa), HZ. minor (Hast Africa), H. occidentalis (West 
and North-east Africa), and H. vubriventris (Gaboon to 
Angola). 
The Southern Common Waxbill ranges from the Cunene 
and Zambesi Rivers over South Africa, occurs on St. Helena, 
and has been introduced into the islands of Madagascar, 
Réunion, Mauritius, and the Ile Alphonse, one of the Amirante 
group. 
The Natal, or typical race, is intermediate in shade of 
colouring between the single known specimen of L. cavendisht, 
obtained by Mr. H. 8S. H. Cavendish, near Sofala Bay, at 
