ESTRELDIN A. 261 
They are very similar to those of P. philippensis, but are 
square at the top instead of tapering to a point. 
The normal number of eggs, according to my experience, is 
three, but four are often found; they are exact counterparts of 
those of philippensis, except that they are slightly smaller, 
averaging 0°79 inches in length by about 0°58 in breadth. 
Ploceus bengalensis, Lin. 
696.—Jerdon’s Birds of India, Vol. I, p. 349; Butler, Guzerat ; 
Stray Feathers, Vol. V, p. 210; Murray’s Vertebrate Zoology 
of Sind, p. 181; Swinhoe and Barnes, Central India ; Ibis, 
1885, p. 128. 
THE BLACK-THROATED WEAVER Birp. 
Length, 5°5 ; expanse, 9:25 ; wing, 3°75; tail, 1°75. 
Bill pearly-white ; irides light brown; legs dusky carneous. 
The male, in breeding plumage, has the crown brilliant golden- 
yellow, with, in some instances, a slight inclination to flame 
color; back dusky brown; rump dingy grey-brown; wings and 
tail dark brown, the former with very slight pale margins to 
some of the feathers; the throat white; the cheeks, ear- 
coverts, and sides of the neck, white, more or less suffused with 
dusky on the ear-coverts and throat; a broad; brownish-black 
pectoral band ; the rest of the lower plumage sullied or fulvous- 
white, brownish on the flanks. 
In some the pectoral band is broad and entire, in others 
narrower, and divided along the middle. 
The female has the head streakless dusky-brown, the feathers 
of the back edged with pale rufous-brown; a pale-yellow 
supercilium, and a spot ef the same color behind the ear; also 
a narrow moustachial stripe; throat white, yellowish in some, 
and usually separated from the yellow moustache by a narrow 
black line ; pectoral band less developed. 
Males after the autumn moult resemble the females, but the 
breast and flanks are more rufescent; the pectoral band is 
frequently wanting, or rather concealed, by pale-fulvous deciduary 
edgings. 
With the exception of the Deccan, the Black-throated Weaver 
Bird occurs throughout the prevince, but is very locally distri- 
buted. 
Sus-FAMILy, Estreldina. 
Of small size; bills large in many and bulged, more slender 
in others; wings short, rounded; feet large; tail rounded or 
cuneiform. 
Genus, Amadina. (Munia.) 
Bill very thick and at the base as deep as long, compressed at 
the tip; culmen arched, flattened, prolonged backward to a point 
of the forehead ; gape strongly angulated; nares round, sunk and 
