PLOCEID^ PLOCEIPASSER 83 



Tarsi strongly scaled anteriorly, the sides laminated posteriorly. 

 Toes moderately long, the outer and inner equal, the hinder shorter, 

 the middle longest ; claws curved and strong. 



Six species of the genus are described. They are confined to 

 the Ethiopian Kegion, the one best known, P.mahali, to the country 

 between the Orange Kiver and the Zambesi and Cunene. Two 

 other closely allied species, or races, inhabit the districts between 

 lat. 10 S. and the Zambesi and Cunene, and range a short distance 

 south of those rivers into South Africa. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Back, scapulars and lesser wing-coverts light 



brown P. mahali, p. 83. 



b. Back, scapulars and lesser wing- coverts reddish - 



brown. 



a } . Lower throat arid breast unstreaked greyish- 

 brown P.rufoscapulatus,p.85. 



ft 1 . Lower throat and breast whitish, streaked 



with brown P. pectoralis, p. 85. 



Ploceipasser mahali. 



41. Ploceipasser mahali. White-browed Weaver Bird. 



Ploceipasser mahali, Smith, Rep. Exp. Centr. Afr. App. p. 51 (1836) ; 



id. Ill, Zool. S. Afr. Birds, p. 65 (1841) ; Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 187 



(1867) ; Gurney in Andersson's B. Damara Land, p. 166 (1872) ; 



Holub and Pelzeln, Orn. Siidafr, p. 120 (1882) ; Sharpe, ed. Layard 's 



B. 8. Afr. pp. 447, 848 (1884). 



Ploceipasser pileatus, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 187 (1867). 

 Ploceipasser mahali, Sharpe, Cat. B. M. xiii, p. 245 (1890) ; Shelley, 



B. Afr. i, p. 34 (1896). 



Description. Adult male. Forehead and crown black; large 

 eyebrow, extending to the nape, white ; lores and cheeks black ; 

 ear-coverts, sides of face and neck, lesser wing-coverts, scapulars 



