PLOCEIDJ3 ESTRILDA 97 



taken, was killed by himself with a samputan (or blow-pipe) in his 

 garden in Staalplein in Cape Town. It has not occurred since to 

 our knowledge." 



This species has never been obtained in Madagascar, and M. 

 Verreaux's Cape Town specimens are the only ones known. 



Genus III. ESTRILDA. 



Type. 

 Estrelda, Swains. Zool+Journ. iii, p. 349 (1827) E. astrild. 



Bill moderately strong, conical, and broad at the base, with 

 the culmen sloping, and the sides compressed to the tip, which is 

 slightly emarginated ; the gonys long, and advancing upwards ; the 

 nostrils basal, lateral, and very small, usually hidden by the frontal 

 plumes. Wings rather short, with the first quill minute ; the 

 second nearly as long as the third and fourth, which are equal 

 and longest. Tail more or less lengthened, usually longer than 

 the wing, and rounded or graduated. Tarsi rather shorter than 

 the middle toe, slender, and covered in front with transverse scales. 

 Toes long and slender, the inner toe shorter than the outer ; the 

 hind toe long and slender : the claws long, curved, and very acute. 

 Plumage variable. Size small. 



The genus Estrilda contains a number of small, finch-like 

 weavers of very variable colours, popularly known as Waxbills 

 from the prevailing red colour of their bills ; to the Dutch Colonists 

 as Boodebecs or Koibeckies for the same reason. They frequent 

 the veldt, fields, and more open bush, and feed on the ground on 

 grass and other small seeds, in summer on small spiders and 

 insects in addition. Frequently in winter they congregate in large 

 flocks. They build domed nests of grass on the ground or in 

 bushes, and lay four or five white eggs. Several hens of the 

 common Estrilda astrilda are said to lay in the same nest, and 

 from eight to fourteen eggs are found in nests of this species. The 

 Estrildce range throughout Ethiopia and Southern Arabia, and some 

 of the species have been introduced into St. Helena, Madagascar, 

 and Mauritius. 



Key to the Species. 



a. Wing shorter than, or not exceeding, the tail in 



length. 

 a. 1 . Bump and upper tail- coverts brown barred 



with black and whitish E. astrilda, p. 98. 



7 



