HYPARGOS 239 
Genus XIII. HYPARGOS. 
Similar in general structure to Coccopygia, but the base of the culmen 
forms a more acute angle on the forehead. Wing rounded, longest secondary 
reaching to the tip of the wing; primaries 4 and 5 longest, 2 shorter than 6, 
and broad throughout its length (never the least sulcated toward the end, 
as is the case in Lagonosticta and Pytelia). Tail strongly rounded, feathers 
of moderate width. In adults, many of the feathers of the under parts 
have rounded pale subterminal twin spots, one on each web. 
Type. 
Hypargos, Reichenb. Singyv. p. 21 (1863) . . . . . H. margaritatus. 
The genus is confined to Tropical and South Africa, and comprises 
probably only four known species, for we may fairly presume that the 
types of Spermophaga margaritata, Strickl., and of Amadina verreauxii, Des 
Murs, were domesticated varieties of H. niveiguttatus, as the former was 
known to be a cage-bird and the latter was killed with a blow-pipe in Cape 
Town, and this form has not been met with since 1849. It also appears 
to me evi lent that Pytelia schlegeli, Sharpe, 1870, is identical with Hstrelda 
nitidula, Hartl., 1865. 
H. harterti, first described as Lagonosticta nitidula, Hartl., 1886, belongs 
to Hypargos and is not a Lagonostictu according to my definitions of these 
genera. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES. 
ad. Some pairs of pale rounded spots on the breast or throat Older birds. 
at. Spots confined to breast. 
a*. No green on plumage. 
a, Mantle brown. 
a*. Spots on breast shaded with pink. . . . . margaritatus. 2+ 
b+. Spots on breast pure white . . . . . . . mniveiguttatus. 2. 
Des Mantlomed ae warms ec eect oes a). dbkowshin nagers 
b2 ie Mantlerercent wae os Ak) ns Fd MICS: ; 
61. Spots numerous onthethroat . ... =... =. harterti. 2, 
b. Nospotsonthe plumage ........ . . Very young birds. 
c1.-Entire plumage greenish . . . . . . . . . . witidulus, juv. 
fy eEniresplumagelbrowiea sys - es + = = =. Lartenty, juv. 
c 
