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BLA( K-HOODED WEAVER. 



Ploceus cucuttatus, SWAINS. 



Yellow ; brighter beneath ; the whole of the head, ears, and 

 forepart of the throat, enveloped in a black hood. 



WE met with this species, which is quite new to us, 

 in the valuable collection of Mr. Warwick, of the 

 Surrey Zoological Gardens, while the mode in which 

 the skin is prepared leaves no doubt whatever that 

 it is a native of the Gambian territory. 



The structure is perfectly typical, and the size in 

 termediate between that of P. textor and ruficeps ; 

 the first quill is half as long as the second, which 

 again is a quarter of an inch shorter than the third. 



A deep and uniform black hood, with a brownish 

 gloss, envelopes the whole of the head and ears, as 

 far as the nape, and forms a narrowed lappet in front 

 of the throat, as far as the breast ; the feathers ad- 

 joining or around the margin of this hood, on the 

 upper part of the neck and its side, are bright yel- 

 low, which then immediately blends into the olive 

 yellow on the back, rump, and tail ; the wings, like 

 the generality of these species, are dark-brown, 

 broadly edged with yellow on the tertials and wing- 

 covers ; the under plumage is entirely of a fine uni- 

 form yellow ; bill black ; legs pale. 



