YELLOW-BACKED WHIDAH. 179 



yellow also ; we have thus felt obliged to substitute 

 the name of chri/sonotus for that of chrysoptera^ 

 the latter being alike applicable to both ; the Em- 

 leriza longicauda of Linnaeus still remains a distinct 

 species. 



The structure of this bird shews that it is equally 

 aberrant with the last; the V. erythrorynchus lead- 

 ing to Amadina, while this connects the group with 

 Euplectes. The tail is remarkably broad, fan-shaped, 

 and flat, so that we suspect it assumes a boat-shaped 

 form when the bird is alive. At all events, it is 

 clearly the rasorial type of the genus Vidua; while 

 in its lengthened bill, long slender toes, and in their 

 proportions, it perfectly resembles Euplectes. The 

 tertials are very broad, and as long as the primaries ; 

 the under tail-covers also are remarkably long, ren- 

 dering it probable that the tail is often elevated, or 

 at least spread out. 



The general colour of the plumage is a full and 

 intense black, glossy, but without any reflections ; 

 the feathers of the head and neck being very closely 

 set, although not short, and, as Brown well remarks, 

 inclining upwards. The upper part of the back is 

 covered by a mantle of beautiful clear and full 

 yellow, which extends to the shoulder-covers. The 

 wings are black ; all the feathers, excepting the 

 primary and spurious quills being edged with browii- 

 ish-white ; in old birds, however, these edges be- 

 come so much obliterated, that scarcely a remnant 

 of them remains. The under wing-covers are nearly 

 white, and the fore edge of the shoulders yellow ; 



