ESTRILDA NIGRICOLLIS 223 
Estrilda nigricollis. 
Lagonosticta nigricollis, Heugl. J. f. O. 1863, p. 273 Djwr; Sharpe, Cat. 
B. M. xiii. p. 286 (1890); Shelley, B. Afr. I. No. 435 (1896) ; 
Reichen. J. f. O. 1902, p. 37 Togo; Reichen. Vég. Afr. iii. p. 191 
(1904). 
Adults. General plumage leaden grey, rather darker above than beneath ; 
rump, upper tail-coverts and outer webs of the tail-feathers crimson; 
remainder of the tail black; wings dark brown, strongly washed with grey 
above, and beneath dusky brown, with pale inner edges to the quills, and 
fading into white on the inner half of the coverts; a narrow margin to the 
front of the forehead, sides of head, chin and upper half of the throat jet 
black ; remainder of the throat, breast and thighs rather paler grey than the 
mantle, and with an obsolete rosy tinge; under tail-coverts dusky black ; 
sides of breast with some small white spots, generally in pairs on the 
feathers to which they belong. ‘ Ivis brown; eyelids and bill pale greyish 
blue, the latter darker on the culmen and apex; legs dark grey.” Total 
length 4:4 inches, culmen 0°45, wing 1:9, tail 1°8, tarsus 0°5. g, 28. 8. 82. 
Lokoja (Forbes). 
Inmature. Above pale brown, with a slight ashy shade on the crown 
and mantle, the latter with obsolete bars; upper tail-coverts and tail, with 
crimson of a duller shade than in the adults; no black on the head or 
neck ; sides of head ashy brown scarcely paler than the crown; breast and * 
under tail-coverts buffy brown; a few white spots on the sides of the chest. 
9, 24, 2.01. Binduri (Alexander). 
The Grey Black-faced Waxbill ranges from the Gold Coast 
into the White Nile district. 
In its most western known range Capt. Giffard procured 
two males in January and August, 1898, at Gambaga, and 
Mr. Boyd Alexander writes: ‘‘ Rare, found at Gambaga and 
Binduri.” It has also been obtained by Mr. Zech at Kratchi 
on the Volta River. Its occurrence in West Africa was first 
made known in 1883, by W. A. Forbes procuring the species 
at Lokoja in the hills, amongst small bushy trees. 
The type was discovered by Heuglin, at Djur in the 
Gazelle River district, where he found the species in pairs and 
family parties of four or five, frequenting the thick, high grass 
