COLIOPASSER 137 



rounded and hidden by the frontal feathers. Wings rather long, 

 the first quill minute, the second, third and fourth nearly equal, the 

 fifth the longest, the sixth slightly shorter. Tail : in the males, all 

 the tail-feathers and coverts are greatly lengthened in summer and 

 considerably exceed the wing in length ; in the males in their 

 winter plumage, which resembles that of the females and young, 

 the tail is shorter than the wing. Tarsi moderately strong and 

 strongly scaled anteriorly. Toes rather long and slender, the hind 

 toe about as long as the inner. Claws long and sharp. 



Coliopasser ardens. 



Plumage : the males with a highly decorative breeding plumage, 

 conspicuously different from their winter garb, which is, like that of 

 the females, of unobtrusive shades of brown. Species of Coliopasser 

 differ from those of Urobrachya in that the tail-feathers of the males 

 are greatly lengthened in summer ; from those of Vidua in having 

 all, and not the four central feathers only, prolonged. In general 

 habits, in their nesting and in their food, the species of these three 

 genera are much alike. The male of Coliopasser albonotatus has, 

 like Urobrachya axillaris, and the Bishop Birds, Pyromelana, the 

 power of erecting the neck feathers of the summer dress into a ruff 

 or frill. Eleven species are included in this genus by Captain 

 Shelley : they are confined to the Ethiopian Region ; three species 

 are South African. 



Key to the Species. 

 a. Tail longer than the wing. 



a 1 . Tail between two and three times the length 



of wing. 



a 2 . Larger : wing exceeding 5'25 ; tail-feathers 

 tapering towards ends ; lesser wing-coverts 



orange-scarlet C. procne, $ 



in summer, p. 139 



6 2 . Smaller : wing under 3*00 ; tail-feathers 

 with rounded ends, and not tapering ; 

 lesser wing-coverts black like rest of wing C. ardens, $ 



in summer, p. 142 



