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glossy purplish-violet ; middle coverts, like scapulars, greater 

 coverts, primary coverts, and quills, black ; tail feathers black, 

 glossed with dull steel-blue ; crown of head purple-violet to nape ; 

 hind-neck glossy green ; cheeks, chin, and throat steel green ; 

 fore-neck violet ; chest and remainder of under surface of body 

 steel green ; iris cinnabar. 



Total length, 9'2 in. ; culmen, 0'75 in. ; wing, 4 3 in. ; tail, 4 in. ; 

 tarsus, 0'8 in. 



Adult female like male, but iris blood red. 

 Hab. : 2. 



FAMILY— PLOCEID^ : Weavers. 



Planta tarsi entire ; nostrils placed high in the bill, nearer to the culmen 

 than to the tomium. 



Sub-family — Viduin^e. 



First primary very small and falcate, attenuated towards the end, this first 

 primary never reaching beyond the primary coverts and generally 

 falling conspicuously short of the latter. 



Genus— ST AGANOPLEURA. —Tip of wing from tip of tail about equals 

 length of tarsus. 



401. S. guttata, Shaw (Amadina lathami, Vig. and Hors.), Sjiotted- 



sided Finch. 



Crown of head and back of neck brownish-grey ; back and wings 

 dark brown ; line round eye, band across chest, tail and flanks black, 

 each feather of flanks having large oval spot of white near tip ; rump 

 and upper tail coverts bright scarlet 



Young. — Bill black ; flanks barred. 

 Hab. : 3, 4, 6, 7. 



GENas— ZON^GINTHUS.— Tip of wing from tip of tail is longer than 



tarsus. 



402. Z. bellllS, Lath. (Estrilda bella). Fire-tailed Finch. 



Lores, a line across forehead, and circle round eye black ; upper 

 surface, wings, and tail olive- brown, crossed with numerous flne 

 crescents of black ; I'ump and base of tail feathers scarlet ; under 

 surface grey, crossed with crescentic black bars. 

 Hab. : 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. 



403. Z* OCIllatUS, Quoy and Gaim. (Estrilda oculea). Red-eared Finch. 



General colour above brown, with wavy cross lines of black ; 

 rump and upper tail coverts crimson ; a narrow frontal line, lores, 

 and feathers below eye black ; below hinder part of eye a spot of 

 crimson ; ear coverts, cheeks, throat, and chest paler brown, very 

 finely vermiculated on sides of face and throat, more coarsely on 

 fore-neck and chest ; rest of under surface white, barred with black, 

 the spots more ovate on sides of breast. 

 Hab. : 9. 



Genus — EMBLEM A. — Bill very long, pointed and slender. 



404. E. picta, Gld., Painted Finch. 



Adult Male. — General colour above pale brown ; upper tail 

 coverts rich scarlet ; head brown, like back, as also the sides of face 

 and of neck ; lores, a narrow eyebrow, feathers below eye and fore 

 part of cheeks scarlet ; throat and under surface of body black ; 

 chin and upper throat with scarlet-tipped feathers ; centre of fore- 

 neck and chest also scarlet ; sides of breast and abdomen spotted 

 white. 



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