184 



SHORT-TAILED CRIMSON WEAVER. 

 Euplectes ignicolor, S WAINS. 



Vermilion ; fore part of the head, ears and body beneath 

 velvet black ; wings light brown ; tail very short, almost 

 concealed by the lengthened covers. 



Fringilla ignicolor, Vietil. Ois. Chant., PI. 59. 



A- MORE splendid little bird than this, having hut 

 two rich colours on its plumage, cannot be conceived. 

 The red is of the clearest and brightest vermilion, 

 while the texture of the feathers, and their intense 

 black, makes them to imitate the richest velvet. 

 M. Vieillot, in whose costly work above cited there 

 is an accurate although not elegant figure, describes 

 it as a new species inhabiting Senegal ; and as a 

 fine specimen is in our museum, we here introduce 

 it in our volume, although it was not received 

 through the same channel as the majority of the 

 species here described. "We of course adopt the 

 original specific name, a plan we always pursue, 

 except when there exists a decided objection. M. 

 Vieillot mentions that, although a native of the 

 tropics, it bears the temperature of the French cli- 

 mate very well. "We can feel no surprise at this, 

 after the fact mentioned at page 162 ; our only as- 

 tonishment is, that so few of these beautiful African 



