54 PLOCEID^ HYPHANTOENIS 



Sub-family I. PLOCEIN^. 



The Ploceina are distributed over Africa and Southern Asia. 

 They are usually of moderate size, and rather heavy and robust 

 build ; the sexes are much alike in winter, but the males in 

 summer, after a partial spring moult, are brighter. The majority 

 of the species are very social in their habits, breed in large colonies, 

 and usually suspend their nests from trees or attach them to reeds. 

 The nests are frequently retort-shaped with an entrance from below ; 

 they are invariably covered in above. The eggs vary greatly in 

 colour even in the same nest, some being plain, others spotted. 

 Twenty-two species and sub-species of Ploceina occur in South 

 Africa. 



Key to the Genera. 



a. Tail rounded, the outer feather shortest. 



a 1 . Prevailing colours yellow, or yellow and black. 

 a 2 . With distinct hairs on the nape and back 

 of neck. 



a 3 . Bill higher than broad at nostrils Hyphantornis, p. 55. 



6 3 . Bill nearly equal in height and depth at 



nostrils Sitagra, p. 66. 



b 2 . No hairs on nape or back of neck Sycobrotus, p. 71. 



6 l . Prevailing colours not yellow or black and 



yellow. 

 c 2 . With hairs on nape and back of neck. 



c 3 . Head red, chocolate colour, or olive-yellow, 



breast white Anaplectes, p. 74. 



d 2 . No hairs on nape or neck. 



d 3 . Entirely black, except outer edges of pri- 

 maries, which are white ; culmen flat- 

 tened at base Textor, p. 78. 



e 3 . General colour chocolate brown. 

 Forehead and wing speculum white. 

 ' Bill very massive and deep, the culmen 

 ridged and prolonged on forehead as 

 far as middle of eye Ambtyospiza, p. 80. 



b. Tail square. 



c 1 . Size larger; wing over 3'80 ; nostrils exposed ; 



crown black Ploceipasser, p. 82. 



d l . Size smaller ; wing under 2'40 ; nostrils entirely 



hidden by feathers ; crown " scaled," the 



feathers black with light edges Sporopipes, p. 86. 



